Hisame's Beautiful Smile
by Robdelia
Summary: When Hisame left his deeprealm, he did not expect to fall head-over-heels in love with a woman named Caeldori. Unfortunately for him, Caeldori is infatuated with a prince named Kamui, who is only interested in being friends. Part three of the 3DS trilogy.
1. Chapter One: Before Fates

Before _Fates_

* * *

Robin took a sharp intake of breath as he awoke in his bed. A loud, metallic creaking noise had awoken him.

" _That must be the front door._ " Moonlight shone through a window and illuminated his view. He looked to his right to see his wife, Cordelia, snoring peacefully into a pillow. "Cordelia, someone just used the front door." He stated while nudging her bare elbow. His nose felt frigid and his feet were aching.

She swatted his hand away before grunting, which meant that she was still asleep. Robin pulled the covers off his body as he exited their bed, and his eyes were drawn to the wooden cradle where Severa slept. Not the Severa that had come from an alternate future and slept in the dining room. He was referring to the Severa that Cordelia had given birth to six months ago.

Robin leaned over the sturdy carriage to verify if Baby Severa was still there, and indeed she was. Her miniature frame rested in the small bed, and her tiny fists were waving in the air while she frowned.

Robin donned his insulating cloak before walking down the main hallway of his humble abode, which was located directly next to the grand Ylissean Castle. The slate flooring sent shivers through his body as his teeth clattered against themselves. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and began to reminisce.

It had been about two years since the fall of Grima, and given that Chrom had supplied Robin's family with an enormous pay for their invaluable service in the war, he and Cordelia found themselves unemployed and with a vast amount of free time. Robin decided that he should spend his free time with a hobby, and that diversion was painting. He wasn't necessarily the worst at it, but he was not the best at it either. Something about his selection of dull colors in his older works had always irked him, and it didn't help that Cordelia hung every portrait up on the walls of their house like a hunting trophy. At one point, Severa had taken up the craft of painting, and her works looked like national treasures compared to the nursery school art projects that Robin called 'art'.

He continued down the long hallway and entered the main room, which also doubled as a dining room. He wasn't exactly joking when he referred to his house as 'humble'. Immediately the source of the cold was made apparent, as the front door was open and the stove was flame-less. The open doorframe acted as a large window to the outside, and Robin noted the shower of snowflakes that floated into his house and settled at the entrance.

The first thing he did was shutting the entrance to prevent cold air into his house, and he wrapped his hands around the chilled doorknob. By the time the door was shut, he felt as though he was about to catch frostbite as he stuffed his hands into his sleeves. His second task was to start a fire in the stove, so he waded through the small snow pile and towards the boiler.

A large pile of wood was stacked next to the stove, and Robin tossed a few pieces into the metal container. Once it had gotten full, he needed something to light the flame.

His gaze was drawn to the large, red tome that sat on the wooden dining table. He trudged over to the counter and lifted the tome up before inspecting the symbol of a flame on its cover. The entire book smelled as if it were brand new, but that did little to make Robin think twice about what he would do next.

After flipping through the dusty pages, he tossed the book into the stove and mumbled an incantation after shutting the metallic door to the heater. Robin took a few steps backward as the tome exploded into flames, and subsequently ignited the wood. Now that he had a fire going, he needed to figure out why the front door was shut.

A note on the table caught his attention as he walked towards it. He sat down on the chair and was startled by how warm it felt; almost as if someone had used it recently. Robin lifted the paper note off the table while noticing that the ink still drying on the parchment.

"Hi, daddy (or mother, depending on who reads this). You're probably wondering where I've gone, right?" The note read.

Robin sighed as he realized he hadn't checked on Adult Severa, who's mattress was bare and Severa-less. "Anyway, I've found the opportunity of a lifetime for more adventure in a far-off land, so I'm afraid I have to leave. Make sure you do a darn good job of raising me, or I'll never forgive you. Love, Severa."

Robin crumpled the note into a ball and tossed it into the fire before tip-toeing back down the hallway.

The sound of an infant crying broke the silence.

He hurried his pace to his bedroom. He felt as though his feet were going to fall off from the cold flooring. He stepped into the area and noted that Cordelia was now awake. She was bare naked and cradling Severa in her arms while shivering.

"What caused her to wake up?" Robin asked as he sat on the bed, which was also blisteringly cold.

"Probably the sound of some lunatic setting a book on fire." Cordelia gave him an angry stare as she gently rocked her crying daughter.

"Touché." Robin smiled meekly in an attempt to save face. Cordelia looked ready to impale him with a lance as her entire body trembled from the lack of heat. "Adult Severa left, by the way."

"What?!" Cordelia's tone rose as Severa continued to cry. She placed a hand to her forehead in anger. "That girl can never stay still, can she?" She questioned while she attempted to soothe her infant daughter to sleep.

Robin noticed that his wife was currently bare naked and in the cold, so he got to his feet and walked to her side. He wrapped his arms around her bare stomach and held her in an embrace; Cordelia was thankful for the warmth of his body. Severa had grown silent and was now snoring.

* * *

So, after four months of being forged in the fires of Google Docs, this story is ready to upload.

My main problem with _Make Her Fall For You in a College Semester_ (the previous story that I wrote) was that the characters lacked emotion. Sure, I'm still proud of it, and I'd say it has good writing, but it was essentially a loosely strung-together collection of episodes in a TV show. This story, however, adds emotion and action to the mix, so it will hopefully stay fresh and not boring.

So moving on, one (i.e. whoever reads this) might be wondering why Hisame, the resident joke character of _Fates_ , is in the title of this story. The answer to that question is that I wanted to write a story that fleshes Hisame out and makes him feel more human. That's not to say that Hisame will be the only focus of this story. Rather, he is one of the three main characters in this adventure/comedy/tragedy/action/swashbuckling story.

I hope that whoever reads this will enjoy the following story, and thank you for your time.


	2. Chapter Two: A Girl Named Kale Dorky

A Girl Named Kale Dorky

* * *

Kamui felt a chill run down his spine as he stood before the door to the Nohrian throne room. A pair of lit torches were placed at both sides of the ornate door, and the sound of an organ being played filled his ears. After sheathing his sword, Kamui placed both of his hands on the massive entrance and pushed it open with a creaking noise. He stepped into the spacious main room and glanced around; his heartbeat was now added to the sound of the organ.

The throne that Garon sat on was gone, and in its place was a massive pipe organ. Garon stood before it. His back hunched over while his hands drifted along the keys.

"So," His voice broke the silence and made Kamui spring upright. "The traitorous prince returns…" Garon looked behind him while he continued to play the organ. "It always pains me to see a whelp bite the hand that feeds them."

"I'm not a whelp." Kamui's voice was stern and full of courage. Garon interrupted his song and turned around. "You're the only traitor here."

Garon's eyes stared directly into Kamui's, which sent another chill down the prince's spine.

"Me, the magnificent king of Nohr, a traitor?" He let out a mild laugh for a split-second. "That is an amusing thought. However, I see you, Kamui, as a traitor. Not only to our noble kingdom but to those sniveling Hoshidan cowards that you call 'Family'."

"Really? Then surely a traitor shouldn't have acquired an army from Hoshido and Nohr. Including your own children." Kamui stated as he unsheathed his sword; its blade sparkled a turquoise coloration that matched the two gemstones at its base.

"More fodder for the chopping block," Garon spoke before slamming his hand into the organ. The instrument crumbled to the ground, and Garon pulled a massive ax out of its wreckage. "Now, let us see how your training fared you." In the blink of an eye, Garon was already upon the prince.

Kamui jerked his sword upright, but it did little to stop Garon's fist from connecting with his head. A twisted expression of joy rested on Garon's features as he watched Kamui skid across the floor and into a wall. "Too slow." Garon chided him.

" _How did he do that?_ " Kamui thought as he clutched his throbbing head. He watched in terror as the king stomped towards him; the sound of his footsteps matched Kamui's heartbeat, quickening after every passing moment. Kamui got to his feet and clutched the hilt of his blade as Garon stood before him. His ax swung down on Kamui like an executioner's, and Kamui parried the blow with his sword. Garon let out a grunt as Kamui's sword bounced off his armor.

Kamui swung his sword again, and in a flash, Garon had shrunken in size and transformed into someone else entirely: Elise. She stood before Kamui and gave him an adorable smile.

"Oh, brother. Please don't kill me." Elise spoke while Kamui stopped his sword; his heart skipped a beat.

"How did you get here?!" He paused while he pulled his blade back.

"I don't know! I was just in my room when suddenly I got transported here instead of Garon." She stated. Taken into a lull of safety, Kamui's back was turned and he failed to see that his sister was brandishing an ax. "Oh, Kamui. Too foolish for your own good." She spoke in an overly-saccharine tone as her features changed again.

Kamui jerked his head back and saw Garon looming over him with an ax raised.

"Your bonds made you weak!" He spoke with a harsh tone while he swung his ax towards Kamui's neck.

Kamui let out a scream as he snapped upright in his bed, the shutting of a door having awoken him. He clutched his head as the covering on his bed fell off his chest.

" _That must've been a dream._ " He turned his gaze to the front of his room to see his sister, Elise, closing the door behind her while she smiled jubilantly.

"Good morning big brother! How did you sleep last night?" She asked.

"It was… fine, thank you for asking." Kamui yawned and responded before realizing Elise had gotten through his locked door. "Say, how did you get in here?"

"Kaze helped me pick your lock, but that's not important. What is important is that you're late for your trip with Subaki." Elise reminded him, and Kamui's eyes widened immediately as he sprung out of bed.

"Dang it! I knew I was forgetting something!" He yelled as he began donning his clothing. "Thanks for the reminder Elise!" He climbed down the wooden boards of his treehouse and sprinted towards the main gate of his castle.

Camilla waited there for him, a picnic basket was slung over her arm as her purple hair flapped in the wind like a kite.

"Good morning dear. I packed some food in case you get hungry." She stated as she delicately handed him the brown basket.

"Thanks, Camilla." Kamui waved to her as he resumed his sprint. Moments later, Hinoka tore through the road before stopping at Camilla; a wrapped basket was in her hands.

"Where's Kamui?!" She panted before bending over to catch her breath. "I packed him lunch, and he better be here to take it!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Hinoka," Camilla smiled mischievously. "You just missed him, but I still packed him some food. Regardless, that disgusting meal you packed is probably damaged by now, seeing as you jostled it a thousand times." A slight hint of malice was in her tone now, and Hinoka frowned as she approached Camilla.

"You think you're better than me, don't you? You think you can be a better sister to Kamui, huh?" Hinoka shoved her finger at Camilla's face, who responded by swatting it away.

"I don't think I'm a better sister than you. I _know_ I'm a better sister than you. Honestly," Camilla laughed. "You should take up a different trade, such as being a housewife. Then you can disappoint someone else besides your immediate family." She began to relish her victory until she remembered that Hinoka had recently married Xander. "Oh, shoot."

"I'll have you know I'm a damn good wife. Funny how I got Xander to love me and you still cling to your brother like a moth to a flame." Hinoka's arms were folded now as she began walking towards Xander, who was out training with Takumi. An intense rage build inside Camilla as her cheeks became the color of Hinoka's hair.

" _Maybe I should find a husband._ " Camilla pondered this question as her gaze drifted over the men out in the field. Her eyes settled on the Hoshidan prince Takumi, who surely was gullible enough to fall for her 'charms'.

A sultry walk towards Takumi ensued before Camilla tapped his shoulder. "Why hello, prince of Hoshido. May I ask what a handsome young man like yourself is doing out here with these commoners? Perhaps we can take this to my room." Camilla licked her lips as she placed her hands on her hips.

"So sorry Camilla, but I'm already with someone." Takumi dropped his practice bow on the ground as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. Camilla jumped in shock as a finger tapped her shoulder; She turned around and found Elise standing behind her, a stern look was on her adorable face.

"Yeah, sis! Go sexually abuse some other man!" Elise somehow pushed Camilla over as she ran to Takumi's side; her arms wrapped around his chest.

Ryoma watched this entire situation unfold from the bench he sat on, while a cherry blossom tree shaded him from the sunlight beating down on the others.

" _Gods, she looks beautiful._ " Ryoma blushed as he stared at Camilla, his eyes drawn to her elegant purple hair that flowed through the air like wine.

A figure sat down next to him, and a quick glance confirmed that it was Azura.

"It's dreadfully hot right now." She stated bluntly as her blue hair fell over the bench. "Have you seen Laslow recently? He told me he had a surprise gift for me."

"I saw him skulking around the forge five minutes ago," Ryoma answered as Azura stood up.

"Thank you." She waved to him as she walked past the training royalty. Ryoma began focusing on Camilla again, who was pouting next to the fence of the training yard.

" _Whoever fashioned her armor was either a pervert or a genius._ " He thought to himself as Sakura seated herself next to him.

"A-are you staring at Camilla again?" She asked whilst frowning.

"What?!" Ryoma sat upright in shock. "No, I'm just seeing how effective their training exercises are."

"Yeah, s-sure you are. You're probably staring at Camilla's breasts." Sakura chided him. Her tone was at complete odds with her stuttering.

Meanwhile, Beruka jerked her head upright as her ears perked up.

"Someone just mentioned Camilla's breasts." She muttered as she looked to her ax, which was polished and ready for killing.

"What the hell are you blabbering on about now?" Her husband, Niles, asked as he leaned against the wall of their quarters.

Concurrently, Ryoma blushed as he denied Sakura's childish accusation.

"That's ridiculous." He folded his arms and glared at his sister.

"Well, maybe you should ask her out instead of being a creep," Sakura suggested as she mimicked Ryoma's posture.

"Is there a reason why you're so hostile?" Ryoma inquired as Sakura stood up.

"That mother **(REDACTED)** Niles owes me one hundred gold, and he's hiding somewhere. I'm going to blast that jerk with Serpent Spirit when I find him." Sakura turned her head as she scanned the hustle and bustle of the castle courtyard. Ryoma was taken aback by her vulgarity.

"Well, if you need my help with that, just let me know." Ryoma attempted to help her before she stomped away without saying a word.

Simultaneously, outside the pocket dimension that housed the castle, Selena folded her arms as the dirt from the path slipped into her shoes, which only added to her frustration as she stood near Fort Jinya.

"Gods. Of course when we want to visit our daughter, Kamui forgets that we invited him."

"Oh, lay off him," Subaki paced back and forth in front of her as he patiently watched the path. "I'm sure he has a good reason as to why he held us up."

"He better, or my foot is going so far up his a- Wait a second…" Selena interrupted herself as she noticed a figure approaching frantically. "I think that's him." She held her hand up to her eyes to block the sunlight, and Kamui's distinctive gray hair became noticeable as he approached. Selena waited as she tapped her foot, whistling a tune as Kamui finally caught up to them.

"Well, were you held up by bandits or something?" Subaki asked as he shook his head.

"Sorry, I woke up five minutes ago." Kamui panted for breath as he realized wearing his armor wasn't the best choice of attire.

"Congratulations, dummy, you held us up for an hour. Meanwhile, it's probably been…" Selena paused as her rage subsided, a confusion on how deep realms worked began to build in her mind. "How much time passes in a deep realm with an hour in our world?"

"About a week, in our daughter's case." A sigh escaped from Subaki's parted lips as he looked at the blue shimmer ahead of them. "Regardless, we should get going." He looped his arm around Selena's as they walked into the shimmer of blue while Kamui followed.

A bright blue flash blinded Kamui until he found himself lying on the ground. Dusk settled in the sky above. "Welcome to Caeldori's deep realm, which runs at a much faster rate of time than our world."

"Where's Rochm?" Selena asked as her gaze drew to the wooden cottage where Caeldori lived with her guardian.

"Rock ham?" Kamui questioned while tilting his head.

"No, Rochm. He's a guy we hired to guard Caeldori, in case anything attack this deep realm." Selena stated before noticing the young man who was currently approaching. "There he is."

"I'm terribly sorry, sir and madam, but Caeldori just sprinted into the woods out of excitement from your arrival. I've done nothing but attempt to find her, but my results have been fruitless." The man with short orange hair stated; Kamui assumed this was Rochm. His face was clear and defined, with a jawline that could figuratively save lives.

"We'll go find her, right Kamui?" Subaki asked as he gazed towards the nearby forest of cherry trees.

"I'll do it myself, as compensation for holding you guys up." Kamui began walking towards the woods.

"Now that's good behavior." Selena smiled as she watched Kamui disappear into the forested area. "You get a cookie if you get back."

Fifteen minutes had passed, and Kamui found himself stumped as to where Caeldori was.

"Kale dorky!" He yelled out as he passed the same tree for the fifth time. He was still unsure how to pronounce this girl's name. "Kale dorky!" A rustling of a tree to his left caught his attention as he approached it cautiously.

A red ponytail, not unlike Subaki's, poked out from behind the large plant. He walked around the tree, and the ponytail kept the same pace as it too walked loops around the tree. This continued for a good while until Kamui sprang in the opposite direction.

"Ah!" A small child cried out as she sprang backward; a look of fear was in her eyes.

"It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you!" Kamui held his hands skyward as he backed up. "You must be Kale dorky."

"It's Caeldori," Her voice was high-pitched and feminine, although she looked like a miniature replica of Subaki. "Do you know my father?" She asked as she wiped her eye.

"Yeah, he sent me here to find you. You really shouldn't run into forests like this; you could've gotten lost, or worse." Kamui answered as he approached the little girl.

"I'm sorry. I just got so happy because I finally get to see mommy and daddy again. Can you take me to them?" She almost fell over as she yawned, which Kamui interpreted as sleep deprivation. He stood next to her and turned around, then hunched over until she could climb on his back.

"Climb aboard." His voice was caring as the little girl clambered atop his back. Her tiny feet dangled over his shoulder as he delicately held her knees to prevent her from falling. "So how old are you?"

"Sticks years old," Caeldori answered. Kamui ignored the fact that sticks was not a number.

A short five-minute walk followed before Kamui emerged from the forest and set Caeldori down on the ground before she ran to her parents.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Caeldori's voice was ecstatic as she ran to Selena. Her mother bent down and hugged her while they both smiled.

"Hey, how's my little gumdrop doing?" Selena asked as she held Caeldori in an embrace.

"I'm sorry I ran into the woods." Caeldori backed up and sniffled as she looked up at her father.

"It's fine Caeldori. Have you been continuing your studies?" Subaki asked as he knelt down to her eye level.

"Yes sir, sirdy sir sir sir," Caeldori answered before stumbling onto her chest. A dazed look was in her eyes.

"Looks like she's tired." Selena picked her up and walked towards the cabin. Caeldori slept for a good while, dreaming mostly about the funny-looking man who saved her from the forest.

A lone house stood in the middle of an open plain. Vast fields of grain were in every direction, and the current rain storm would surely help the crops grow. On the front porch of the house sat a boy and his retainer.

Hisame stared at the blue shimmer across the field of grain. The realization that his parents weren't coming was now firmly settled in his mind. His guardian, Jolehvid, stood at his side with a torch. His green and red robes were illuminated by the moonlight.

"Hisame, I don't think they're coming," Jolehvid stated. Thunder boomed in the distance.

"I know." Hisame let out another sigh as he dragged his feet to the front door. "They don't care about me, do they?"

"Don't be absurd. Master Hinata and Mistress Hana care deeply about you. I'm sure something came up that prevented them from visiting." His guardian gazed out and noticed the moon rising in the sky. "I do think you should retire for the night, though." Jolehvid opened the front door for his eight-year-old charge. "Would you like it if I acquired more bear meat?"

"Yes please," Hisame answered before trudging to his room. He shut the door and climbed into his bed; the picture he had scribbled of his father and mother seemingly mocked him as it hung above his closet.

He grabbed a small, ornate music box off of his bedstand and began to rotate the winch. Soothing chimes echoed out of the box, and those sounds helped Hisame cope with the feeling in his heart. He buried his face into his pillow and began crying into it; the desire to see his parents overtook his thoughts completely. His sobs grew more frantic when he realized it had been two years since his parents last visited.

He began to sing along with the music box. "Dry your eyes so we can all see your beau~ti~ful smi~le."

* * *

Just to note, Kamui is the name of the Male Avatar because I strongly dislike the name Corrin.


	3. Chapter Three: Camilla Is Breakable

Hinoka's Bizarre Adventure: Camilla Is Breakable

* * *

Selena stood at the edge of a ravine, while dead trees and foliage swayed behind her. She looked below her to discover the valley was filled with corpses; each of them were identical in their resemblance to her mother.

She slowly turned her gaze upward to discover a large, dark-purple dragon floating at the other edge of the ravine. The flapping of its wings was the source of the wind gusts, and its six eyeballs twitched and squirmed like an arachnid. The dragon reared its head back, only to let out an ear-piercing roar.

Selena snapped upright in her bed while sunlight poured through the window directly onto her eyes. She squinted before burying her face in her pillow.

That damn nightmare was still haunting her, even after all these years. It's not like she had nothing else to be afraid of. King Garon did an outstanding job of filling her spirit with dread and despair. It was just the simple fact that nothing scared her quite like her father. Or, her father after he was possessed by an ancient spirit.

"Is everything alright, dear?" Subaki asked as he laid on his side. His incredibly well-kept chest muscles were bare and revealed to the world. "You seem to be smothering that pillow."

"Do me a favor and draw those blinds," Selena responded before rolling onto her back. Her arms folded as her husband stood up.

"As you wish." He stated as he brought the red curtains together. "Are you thinking about your mother again?" Subaki asked as he laid in bed next to her while his loving arms wrapped around her figure as he noticed her scowl. Selena didn't bother telling him that her mother was the last thing on her mind, but she played along. "It's quite unhealthy to dwell in the past. Do you have any positive memories of her?"

"Well, there was that one time after I saved their world." Selena began to narrate that night while Subaki listened intently. "So I was out drinking with a friend at our favorite pub when I realized it was getting late. This was a particularly chilly night, and my friend walked me back to my parent's house because rent is expensive. So we said our goodbyes and I came into the front room to see my parents playing chess while cradling the baby version of myself." Selena paused as she struggled to remember what entailed.

"So the child version of you that you helped deliver?" Subaki asked.

"Yeah. So I stumbled over to the table and asked 'Hey mom, are you a virgin?'." Selena mildly chuckled to herself while Subaki began to giggle. "And get this. She slowly turned her head to look at me with these drooping eyes, while baby me is sobbing in her arms, and my mother said, 'I wish I was, Selena. I wish I was.'."

"Oh goodness, that sounds positively delightful!" Subaki laid on his back as he laughed. Selena couldn't help but laugh as well. "Speaking of children, I was thinking Caeldori is ready to join us in our world."

"But I gave birth to her last week!" Selena interjected as Subaki stood up.

"Yes, but to her, it's been nineteen years." He gave her a tender smile; the same smile that Selena had grown accustomed to seeing whenever he wanted something.

A vast expanse of trees stretched out in every direction, and atop one of them sat a woman named Caeldori. The glare from the setting sun made her squint her eyes while she scanned the entrance to her deep realm.

A bright flash of blue caught her attention, and three figures emerged. Surely, they were her mother, father, and Kamui. She grabbed her telescope from her satchel and focused her vision on Kamui.

"Gods, he looks beautiful." She thought as his gray hair contrasted the setting sun quite nicely. Finally, she was around the same age as him, thanks to dimensional shenanigans. No longer would she be forced to read Falling for Her in a Fortnight. Now she could be enfolded in his arms. Her obsession with Kamui didn't detract from her training, though, as she had to prove herself to her father somehow.

Unfortunately, her father had spotted her sitting on the tree and began calling out to her.

"Caeldori! Please come over here at once!" He yelled and his arms outstretched as he waved.

"I don't think she can hear you." Selena chided him. Kamui watched as a man stepped out of the rustic cottage and walked towards the group.

"Ah, masters Subaki and Selena. So good to see you again." Rochm looked noticeably older now; his life-saving jawline was less defined. "A fond greeting to you, Sir Kamui, as well. I suggest we all wait at the lodge for Caeldori." Subaki and Selena both walked towards the abode, which overlooked a rapid.

Kamui almost joined them but Rochm inserted his hand in front of him.

"Uh, Rochm, I need to go with them." Kamui protested as Rochm blocked him from passing.

"You shall rejoin them shortly, I just need to inform you of something." Rochm drew close to Kamui and began to whisper in his ear. "Ever since you visited thirteen years ago, Caeldori has grown rather... attached to you. Normally I'm not one to speculate, but I'd keep a sharp eye on her if I were you."

"O-Oh," Kamui stuttered before he began to blush. "You think she likes me?"

"As I have said, this is all speculation. But, she _was_ staring at you from the trees." Rochm pulled his hand back and walked beside Kamui.

Kamui watched as the silhouette of Caeldori disappeared from the treetops, and emerged soon after in a sprint towards to her house.

Shortly after, Kamui entered the cabin and gazed around at its interior. Paintings lined the walls, and a lit fireplace crackled to life. His gaze settled on a woman with long, red hair that was extremely close to him.

"Oh, hi Kamui." Caeldori smiled as Kamui jumped upright in shock. A tingling sensation inside her grew with every second that she spent staring at his face. "Did I startle you?"

"No, no. Just thought I saw a spider on that wall." Kamui pointed to a wooden wall adorned with decorations behind her. Caeldori turned her head to confirm if there was an arachnid or not, and her distraction gave Kamui to find a seat. All of the cushiony chairs were taken, so he seated himself on Subaki's lap.

"Excuse me?" Subaki threw him a questionable look as Kamui laughed awkwardly.

"There were no more seats left, so I thought your thighs would suffice." Kamui glanced at Caeldori, who began laughing after turning her head to face them.

"Kamui, is there a reason you're being so awkward?" Selena gritted her teeth while tapping her foot on the hardwood floor. Her hand was outstretched and pointed to an empty chair that Kamui didn't notice.

"Oh, whoops. Must've missed that." Kamui sighed as he stood up and dumped himself on the empty chair.

Unbeknownst to him, Caeldori had slipped into the chair at the last second.

"Ow," Caeldori exclaimed as she felt the full force of an armored man fall on her. Secretly, however, she enjoyed it.

"Dear gods, I'm so sorry!" Kamui sprung up and waved his arms frantically. Subaki leaned back in his chair and sighed while Selena was massaging her forehead.

"This is why we can't have nice things," Selena stated as the front door creaked open.

"Did I miss anything important?" Rochm asked as his eyes darted around the room. Only now did he notice that Subaki and Selena were wearing matching red kimonos.

"Oh, everything's fine sir," Caeldori stated as Kamui seated himself on the carpeted floor.

"So, dear, how are your studies doing?" Subaki questioned while leaning forward in his seat. Selena leaned closer as well.

"As per your instructions father, I've studied the art of war, karate, Hoshidan history, and all the other training exercises you laid out." Caeldori beamed with delight.

"Wonderful dear, simply wonderful. I couldn't be more proud of you as a father." Subaki stood up and hugged her. "Now, I have a proposition for you. Would you like to join Kamui's army?"

Caeldori's eyes lit up like fireworks the instant Subaki closed his mouth.

"Yes! Absolutely! Definitely! Affirmative! Gladly! Beyond a doubt!" Her voice rose in excitement after every word she spoke. She paused, then stated one final word. "Indubitably!" She squealed.

Soon after, Caeldori had said her goodbyes to Rochm, who stayed behind in the deep realm.

A flash of blue enveloped her, and suddenly the setting sun was replaced by an afternoon sky.

"Welcome to Hoshido, home of everlasting peace and prosperity." Subaki turned and bowed while the forest behind him swayed in the breeze. He walked ahead with Kamui, seeing as both of them eager to give Caeldori the tour of the castle. Before Caeldori could follow, her mother tapped her lightly on the shoulder.

"Caeldori, sweetie, could I talk to you for a second?" She asked before Caeldori turned to face her mother. Her red ponytails were flapping in the wind.

"Sure, mother. What do you need?" Caeldori adjusted her metallic headband over her long red hair.

"It's funny, but growing up you looked just like your father, and now you look like… her." Selena paused before looking at the nearby forest.

"Who do I look like?" Caeldori pressed her.

"Your grandmother." Selena's breath was long and drawn-out while a look of remorse formed in her eyes. "Let's just say that your entire personality and looks are exactly like hers."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Caeldori inquired.

"A very good thing. She was a natural born perfectionist, much like your father. Also had a thing for handsome men, and looks like your attention has already focused on Kamui."

"How did you know?!" Caeldori stepped backward and threw her mother a shocked look.

"You stared at him from a tree." Selena began walking after Subaki. "When we get dinner, I'll explain more about my parents."

Later that afternoon, Camilla clutched her food tray desperately while her violet eye that wasn't covered by her hair scanned for a potential mate in the mess hall. The entire army was in here, and she still couldn't find somebody to wed.

" _Maybe I'm too picky._ " She thought while she sat down next to that handsome green-haired ninja she had seen around the castle. "Why, hello there handsome."

Peri poked her head out from behind him. She coughed into her shoulder and glared at Camilla as her arm slung around Kaze's shoulder, who was silent.

"Gods dammit," Camilla muttered as she stood up and resumed scanning for another bachelor.

Unfortunately for her, she didn't notice the Hoshidan king wearing bright red armor against the green wall of the mess room.

"It seems luck is not on your side today," Leo whispered in Ryoma's ear after finishing his noodles.

"This must be some sort of prank or something. How has she not noticed me yet?" Ryoma let out a sigh as he put his chopsticks down.

"I'll be damned if I understand whatever goes on in my sister's head. You could try dressing in a lobster costume to get her attention."

"No, that's too subtle." Ryoma gazed towards Sakura, who walked towards the two.

"O-Oh hello, Leo. I was wondering if you wanted to eat together." Sakura's cheeks flushed the color of her hair while she spoke.

"It would be my pleasure." Leo's voice was as smooth as silk as he stood up. His arm draped itself over Sakura's shoulders as they walked to a far-away table.

"Oh, come on!" Ryoma muttered as he slumped against the wall. His arms were folded and his expression was one of someone incredibly miffed.

A pair of figures sat next to him. Upon closer inspection, it was Kamui and some young woman with long red hair.

"Hi Ryoma, I'd like to introduce you to our newest recruit: Caeldori. She's the daughter of Subaki and Selena." Kamui leaned backward so that Ryoma could look at Caeldori.

"It's an honor to meet you, King Ryoma." Caeldori bowed in her seat as Ryoma chuckled.

"Please, drop the formalities and call me Ryoma." Ryoma held his open palm out. "I never knew Subaki had such a beautiful daughter."

"Oh, you." Caledori laughed as she eagerly shook Ryoma's hand.

"So I was pondering, and I think we should have two children," Xander suggested to his wife, Hinoka, who sat at his side while slurping noodles out of a bowl.

"No, I think one's just fine," Hinoka responded to the blond prince.

A finger tapped on her shoulder, and she turned her head to view Camilla, who looked quite desperate as her eye shifted around. "Why, hello sister-in-law, what can I do for you?"

"Don't call me your sister. It sickens me. I need your help in finding a husband." Camilla pleaded as her grip tightened on her tray.

"Why should I help someone who's done nothing but antagonize me?" Hinoka's voice was gruff and insincere, which did not help Camilla's stress-ridden thought process.

"Okay, okay, you're right. I'm sorry…" Camilla began to formulate a plan, which began with choking Hinoka.

She placed her tray on the table and checked her route to the center. She was incredibly eager to teach this princess a lesson in respecting the superior race. "I'm sorry you're such a piece of Hoshidan filth!"

Camilla wrapped her hands around Hinoka's neck as a look of shock grew on Xander's face. She dragged the red-haired princess to the center of the mess hall while a pall of silence fell on all the patrons. "You and me. Right here, right now." Camilla's tone was empty and expressionless as she threw Hinoka to the carpeted floor.

"Cat fight!" Niles yelled before Beruka planted her fist to his face, which knocked him backward onto the floor.

"Don't ever talk about Camilla like that," Beruka stated before running to Selena's side, whose brow was furrowed in anger. "What are we going to do?" She asked as Hinoka stood up. A look of pure frustration was burning in her pupils.

"Absolutely nothing, Beruka. Lady Camilla was dumb enough to get herself into this mess, so we're not bailing her out." Selena sat back down at her table as her arm wrapped around Subaki's shoulder.

"Shouldn't we try to help and disperse the fight?" Subaki questioned.

"Nope. If I were you, I would bet on who's going to win." Selena answered as she watched Hinoka get into a fighting stance. Her legs were bent at the knees and her arms were positioned at her front.

"Let's settle this," Hinoka muttered before swinging her fist into Camilla's face. She was thrown backward in shock, and spit flew out of her jaw as she collided with the floor.

The crowd cheered; even those from Nohr were eager to see their princess get some sense knocked into her.

"Oh, that does it," Camilla grunted while standing up and wiping the blood off her lower lip. She attempted to land a blow on Hinoka but was blocked, seeing as she was attempting to fight someone who had spent many years of their youth studying karate.

"Oh no! Hinoka's using her Thunder Boot Counter!" Setsuna stood up while biting her fingernails in anticipation. "That will break every bone in Camilla's body!" She watched as Camilla swung another blow towards Hinoka's head.

"Rumble Punt Foil!" Hinoka yelled while she gripped Camilla by the hands. In one swift motion, she released Camilla from her vice-like grip and connected her foot with Camilla's head.

"Eh, you were close enough." Azama shrugged his shoulders. The crowd let out another cheer as Camilla was launched into the table Selena sat at. She groggily looked up at her retainers and regretted her decision to make this a fair fight.

"Had enough?" Hinoka asked arrogantly as Xander gazed on in horror.

Camilla grunted in response while the sound of her heart beating in her ears grew louder and louder as she leaned against the table.

"Nohrian Fist Flurry!" She weakly stood up, charged headfirst, and waved her arms frantically at Hinoka before stumbling and collapsing at her feet.

From directly outside the mess hall, Leo was busy embracing Sakura against the wall of the building as his hand gripped her own. He gently held her small fingers between his hand before pressing his lips against hers.

"We should take this… back to my room." Leo suggested.

"I would love that." Sakura's eyes reflected the moonlight as Leo held the side of her head.

Ryoma burst through the door with a worried look on his face.

"Leo, Camilla is getting beaten by Hinoka and won't stay down! I need your help!" The king's voice was frantic and worried. Leo sighed as he released Sakura's hands from his grip.

"Once again, my idiotic family requires my aid. I'll be back shortly, sweetie." He smiled to the Hoshidan princess before entering the mess hall with Ryoma. He pulled out his tome, Brynhildr, from his coat pocket.

His eyes settled on his purple-haired sister, who was on the receiving end of a monstrous beating as Hinoka delivered a flurry of punches to her stomach.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" Hinoka yelled. Leo detected a hint of joy in her voice while she attacked Camilla. Her fists became a blur of pain as the crowd cheered. Hinoka ended this string of punches with a singular strike that threw Camilla against the wall of the building; a crack formed on the wall after Camilla fell to the floor.

A searing pain coursed through Camilla's entire body. Her legs refused to follow her commands to stand up and keep fighting. "Good grief, just stay down." Hinoka walked over to the fallen princess and saw that her purple hair covered with dirt and soot.

The crowd gave one final cheer, then resumed eating as if nothing had occurred.

"Agh." Camilla curled into a fetal position as Leo stood over her.

"Let me guess…" Leo pressed his hand to his head and spoke in a teasing voice. "You want to go to the infirmary and get healed?" He asked before glancing at Ryoma.

"Yes please," Camilla answered while coughing blood onto the floor.

"Ryoma, please be a gentleman and take her to the infirmary." Leo stood to the side and helped Ryoma lift Camilla off the ground. "Looks like luck is on your side after all." He whispered to Ryoma.

"Thank you," Ryoma whispered back while his hands trembled as he held Camilla like a bride. He felt her bare skin through her black dress while a cold sweat began to form on his forehead as he left the building.

"So... do things like this happen all the time?" Caeldori asked Kamui, who had a displeased look on his face.

"Not at all. In fact, I hope that's the last time a fight breaks out. Now, what say we get you a room in the castle?" Kamui stood up from the table and lead Caeldori out the door.

Hisame had watched the fight happen, and was still surprised at how effortlessly that purple-haired woman was dispatched. He didn't spend much thought on it, though. His real attention was trained on that beautiful red-haired lady sitting next to Kamui.

* * *

Considering that Hinoka Vs. Camilla scene read like something right out of an anime battle...

 **[STAND NAME] _SISTERLY PRINCESS OF NOHR, ELISE_**

[STAND MASTER] HINOKA

POWER: B

SPEED: D

RANGE: C

DURABILITY: E

PRECISION: E

POTENTIAL: A

"Kamui… I'll give you the face-petting session Kamui promised me!"

"Yarne Yarne Kaze… You really are the worst waifu in history…

The debt you owe... _Can't be paid with bonding!_ "

"ONIIONIIONIIONIIONIIONIIIIIII CHAAAAAN!"

Well, that was the dumbest thing I've ever wri- VERY NICEU CAESAR-CHAN.


	4. Chapter Four: Shade of the Goliath

Shade of the Goliath

Author's Note: I recomend listening to _Theme of E-102 Gamma_ from _Sonic Adventure_ when Kamui says "You must be Hisame"

* * *

Kamui rested on the bench underneath the cherry blossom tree while the midday sun bore down on everyone in the training yard. His brother, Ryoma, trudged over to the elongated chair and seated himself to Kamui's left.

"The sun got to you too?" Kamui asked as Ryoma sighed.

"Correct. Isn't there a way we can control the weather here?" Ryoma questioned. He was unable to notice Camilla's approach.

"Nope. I wish we could, though." Kamui stated before Camilla stood in front of them. She looked much better than she did last night, thanks to the healing magic of Elise and Sakura. "Good afternoon Camilla. Is something wrong?" Kamui noted the strained look on her face.

"Good afternoon to you, dear, and good afternoon to you as well, Ryoma." Camilla twirled her finger through a lock of her hair. "Thank you for delivering me to the infirmary last night."

"Oh, that was nothing. Always helpy to happ-" Ryoma shut his mouth before attempting to correct himself. "Always happy to help somebody in need," Camilla noted the sweat pouring down Ryoma's face even though he was sitting in the shade.

"Have either of you two seen my ring? It belonged to my mother before she passed away, and it's all I have to remember her with." Camilla pleaded.

"I think I see a ring behind you on the ground." Kamui pointed to the dirt where a golden ring laid, as the glint from its reflective nature caught his attention. Camilla hurriedly turned around and smiled when she saw her jewelry lying in the dirt.

"Thank you, sweetie." She said as she bent over to pick up her ring. Kamui averted his eyes to give his sister some privacy, considering her armor lacked a lower section.

His focus turned to Ryoma, who was staring intently at Camilla's posterior. A look of intense pain drew on his face while he brought his legs together; his teeth clenched and his eyes strained. Camilla stood back up before striding away, heading towards the forge by the looks of it.

"Care to explain what that was?" Kamui asked Ryoma as he rested back against the bench.

"It was nothing," Ryoma stated as his legs relaxed. Kamui was certain that the opposite was true.

"You like her, don't you?" Kamui smirked as he scooted closer to Ryoma.

"Be quiet, will you? Not a single word about this to her, or I will never forgive you." Ryoma's tone was devoid of emotion, which sent a chill down Kamui's very soul.

"Okay, okay, I get the message." Kamui raised his hands to his shoulders as a sign of peace. "But you just got over Scarlet last week."

"Who's Scarlet? I don't know anyone by the name 'Scarlet'." Ryoma answered. Kamui's intuition told him the exact opposite, and he began to formulate a plan that he would enact that evening.

An hour passed, and Caeldori had been training in the courtyard with other members of the army.

"Hey, Mister Ryoma sir, I was wondering if you could help me with something." Caeldori dropped her training naginata to the ground as she faced Ryoma, who had turned to look at her as well.

"What is it that you need?" Ryoma tilted his head to the left while asking.

"Well, I was thinking we could exchange advice about how to get our crushes to notice us." Caeldori adjusted her white hairband as she walked to Ryoma's side.

"E-Excuse me?!" Ryoma was taken aback by her no-nonsense approach.

"We both know you have a crush on Princess Camilla, and I have a thing for Kamui, so we could kill two wyverns with one fireball by planning our actions." Caeldori blushed slightly and was completely indifferent to the approaching Nohrian soldier.

"What are you two talking about?" Laslow asked while his hands combed through his short gray hair.

"Mind your own buis-" Ryoma folded his arms and stood in front of Caeldori to respond but was promptly interrupted.

"We're discussing how to make our crushes love us!" Caeldori pushed Ryoma out of the way to respond; a bright smile was on her face.

"Okay, interesting," Laslow stated, slightly taken aback. " _Gods, Severa really did give birth to her own mother._ Okay, so what you two need is a musical number."

"Why do we need a song about our feelings?" Ryoma asked as he picked himself off the ground.

"Because, silly, music always helps bolster confidence. Think of it like a morale-boosting speech." Laslow glanced to the nearby accessory shop. He pulled a black walking cane from behind his back and began to tap dance towards the shop.

"What is he doing?" Ryoma and Caeldori asked simultaneously.

"Just sing with me!" Laslow smiled as he entered the front door. He emerged, wearing tinted glasses and carrying a pile of gold coins.

(The following destruction of eardrums is set to the tune of _I'm Gonna Be a Star_ from that horrible _Donkey Kong Country_ TV show. If you feel like infecting your ears with every disease known to man, match the song to the following abomination.)

"I'm gonna be a spouse!" Laslow sang out, drawing attention from practically everyone in the castle beside Camilla, Azura, and Kamui. "I'm gonna be admired like Selkie or Mr. Benny! I'm gonna be a smash!" Laslow skidded along the ground with his knees, ignoring the brush burn he had just inflicted on himself. "You'll see me on the town with big name sirs, spending all of my do-re-mi solid gold!" Laslow tossed his pile of coins into the air as he danced in place.

Setsuna watched from afar and felt a tiny piece of metal collide with her forehead, which sent her onto the ground.

"I'm gonna be at the altar!" Caeldori joined in the singing while smiling.

"I'm gonna be a great spouse!" Ryoma began laughing after singing.

"I can't wait 'til Kamui sees me up at the shrine. We'll be flying around on a fancy steed!" Caeldori ran to Laslow's side whilst singing. "I can see it now, the crowd begins to cheer. My name in lights at the wedding's premiere!" The three singers were now standing side by side and began to march through the center field.

"We're gonna be spouses! A fiance idol worshiped by our loves! We're gonna be spouses! You're gonna know our names no matter who you are!" The group sang out while swinging their arms back and forth.

"You'll see my face in every painting. At all the biggest parties I'll be making the scene!" Caeldori sprinted ahead of the trio to pose to the audience in the training yard; her arms outstretched as she smiled.

"We're gonna be spouses! A fiance idol worshiped by our loves! We're gonna be spouses! I'll be a-" The trio sang out while Ryoma and Laslow caught up to Caeldori.

"Spouse!" Caeldori called out as she posed.

"Spouse!" Laslow, who was slightly taller than Caeldori, posed behind her.

"Spouse!" Ryoma, the tallest of the three, posed behind Laslow. Unfortunately, they all lost their balance and fell on top of each other. The crowd cheered uproariously, and Keaton had fallen on his back from laughter.

"Told you it builds confidence." Laslow reminded them as he felt Ryoma and Caeldori struggle to stand up.

"Ow," Caeldori exclaimed as she stood up and dusted herself off.

Subaki, who had watched from afar, began to stride to Kamui who was at the accessory shop. He opened the door to see Kamui talking to Azura.

"Why in the name of the gods do I need five cabbages to buy a pink beret?" Kamui asked as he paced in front of the counter.

"Kamui, you know I don't write the rules of this establishment. Just hand me the vegetables and you can get your hat." Azura leaned against the other side of the counter; an incredibly bored look was on her face as her hand supported her head.

"Tell your manager they can keep their stupid hat." Kamui set the beret back on the brown wooden shelf.

"You _are_ the manager. You built this shop, for goodness sake." Azura's voice was devoid of emotion as she glanced at Subaki.

"Am I interrupting something?" Subaki questioned.

"No, not at all, in fact, I was just about to leave," Kamui stated as he walked to Subaki's side. The pair walked out of the shop.

"Come again soon," Azura muttered underneath her breath. Her thoughts drifted back to Laslow, as she was still wondering when he was going to propose to her.

"So, did you hear that little performance Caeldori was having outside?" Subaki asked as he walked with Kamui through the central courtyard of the castle.

"No. What did I miss?" Kamui questioned while arching his eyebrows.

"Just Caeldori proposing her love for you, and saying she wants to 'fly around in a fancy steed' with you." Subaki stopped walking at the bench underneath the tree.

"Dear gods..." Kamui shook his head as he sat down on the bench. "Doesn't it bother you that your daughter is madly in love with your friend?"

"Well…" Subaki looked to the side; his red ponytail flapped in the wind.

"Are you kidding me?" Kamui was completely appalled at Subaki while he stood up.

"I just think you would make a good husband for her is all I'm saying." Subaki laughed awkwardly as he continued to sit.

"But I like her as a friend, not as a wife!" Kamui began yelling, which caught the attention of Caeldori as she trained close by. She didn't hear what Kamui had just said but decided it would benefit her if she listened in on them.

"I know, and that's your decision. I just think it would be nice if you two would stay apart," Subaki said before coughing. Caeldori gasped in shock, her own father disproving her love for Kamui sent a chill through her spine.

She quickly scurried into the castle in a flurry of rage and sadness. Subaki stopped coughing and began to speak.

"I think it would be nice if you two stayed apart for less than thirty minutes every day."

"I honestly can't believe you right now." Kamui stomped towards the castle while Subaki continued to sit on the bench.

" _I think that worked out nicely._ " Subaki thought to himself before following Kamui into the castle.

Kamui entered the spacious main room of the castle to see Caeldori tapping her foot on the red carpet; her arms were folded while she had a disgusted look on her face.

"Can you honestly believe what my father said?" She began walking towards him. Kamui was taken aback that she had listened in on his conversation.

"Wait, you heard that?" Kamui tilted his head as Caeldori stood directly in front of him.

"Of course I heard about how my father wants to control my romantic feelings!" She was livid now, as her cheeks flushed as she looked over Kamui's shoulder. "There he is now, that scoundrel."

"Kamui, can I talk to my daughter in private please?" Subaki placed his hand on Kamui's shoulder.

"Sure, do whatever you two want. It's not like my feelings matter or anything." Kamui shook his shoulder to remove Subaki's hand from it; his blood was practically boiling inside his skin. He stomped out of the castle while muttering curses underneath his breath. "That was sarcastic, by the way!" Kamui yelled from the doorway.

"Is there a reason you look angry?" Subaki asked as Caeldori avoided eye-contact with him.

"Because you think I shouldn't be with Kamui." She said while her head was turned to the side. Subaki raised his eyebrows.

"What!? Oh, you must have misheard me when I coughed. I said I wanted Kamui and you to stay apart for only thirty minutes a day." Subaki placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder. Caeldori slowly turned her head; her red eyes beamed with delight. "I think he would be the perfect husband for my perfect daughter."

"Really?" Caeldori asked with excitement in her tone. "Thank you, father!" She tore out of the castle, leaving Subaki with a smile on his face.

"All according to plan." He mumbled to himself before coughing furiously.

Kamui paced the courtyard while grumbling to himself about how Subaki could not care less about his opinions. Selena interrupted his train of thought by throwing a rock at him.

"Ow! What the!?" Kamui grunted as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Well, that got your attention," Selena stated before striding towards him. "I need your help with something. It's about Lady Camilla."

"You could've gotten my ear in a more pleasant way, you know," Kamui suggested as Selena stood directly at his front.

"That wouldn't be fun now, would it?" Selena mocked him as she folded her arms. "Anyway, Lady Camilla's getting worse with her guy-craze." Selena was interrupted by the sound of screaming coming from the courtyard.

"Get away from me, you crazy psycho!" Niles yelled as he sprinted through the center yard. Camilla flew after him on her dragon, which knocked several people to the ground just with its wingspan.

"Just one kiss is all I want, you dashing rogue!" Camilla screamed after him, as she slowly but surely gained speed on her prey.

"See what I mean?" Selena pointed to the white-haired man running for his life. "You gotta help me find a guy for her, or else she's gonna exhaust herself trying to find someone."

"So why do you need me to help you?" Kamui asked, still gaping at his sister's determination to get a mate.

"Because you're her sister, idiot. You know her better than I do, and I've known her for eight years!" Selena's voice was rising in aggression.

"Well, we could set her up with Ryoma…" Kamui suggested before his voice trailed off, watching as Niles was lifted off the ground by the dragon's talons.

"The lobster?" Selena tilted her head.

"Why does everyone say he's a lobster?! He looks nothing like a crustacean!" Kamui turned his gaze to his brother.

"His armor's red, and he's got little antennae." Selena pointed to the little strands of dark brown hair that fell over Ryoma's faceplate.

"Gods dammit, he does look like a lobster." Kamui sighed, only now realizing how long Ryoma's hair was. "Regardless, I already planned on forcing Ryoma and Camilla to spend the night together at the Bottomless Canyon."

"That's so stupid of an idea, it just might work." Selena paced back and forth in a line while she thought. "Okay, so tonight I'll dump Camilla at the edge of the canyon on that little island near the abandoned fort. You can leave Ryoma on the other side of the bridge where he'll build a camp or something. Camilla will migrate to Ryoma's side, where they'll sleep together and get 'acquainted'." Selena made little air quotes with her fingers; a lewd expression was on her face.

"Sounds good to me." Kamui began walking away before Selena yelled to him.

"What time should we drop them off?" She yelled, not caring if others heard her or not.

"At night, I guess?" Kamui shrugged his shoulders as the midday sun shone above him. He continued to walk aimlessly until his gaze settled on a brown-haired man who stood in the training yard by himself; he gave the training dummy a severe case of acupuncture with his sword. "You must be Hisame." Kamui grabbed a practice wooden sword off the dirt as he approached the man.

"Oh, hello Lord Kamui!" The man dropped his sword and bowed to Kamui. "My name is indeed Hisame. Do you wish to train together?"

"Indeed." Kamui pointed to another wooden sword on the ground. Hisame grabbed it and got into a fighting stance. "Ready?"

"Yes, sir." Hisame nodded his head and lunged at Kamui. He slashed upward toward the blue sky above; Kamui parried the blow and followed up with an overhead strike.

This continued for five minutes before the two realized they were equally matched; both of them paused and gasped for breath.

"Damn, you're good." They stated simultaneously while sweat began trickling down their foreheads.

Caeldori walked by, and Kamui watched as Hisame's gaze followed her.

"She's so beautiful…" Hisame whispered underneath his breath. Kamui patted him on the shoulder.

"You like her, right?" Kamui asked as Hisame jerked his body backward.

"Gah! How did you know?" Hisame blushed as he looked solemnly to the floor.

"You stared at her for ten whole seconds while blushing."

"That's a flimsy excuse if I ever heard one!" Hisame's tone was rising, and Kamui noted his flustered nature. "Can we please get back to sparring?"

"As you wish, lover boy." Kamui teased him and fought the urge to laugh when Hisame sprang to attack. "I saw that coming from a mile away!" Kamui sidestepped the boy's sword and countered with a horizontal slash.

Two figures walked along the edge of a massive ravine as the sky darkened. Dead trees swayed in the cold breeze, and the purple-haired figure let out a shiver as leaves crunched underneath her boots.

"So where are we going?" Camilla asked to her retainer. Camilla's gloves did a fine job of preventing her hands from falling off, although she couldn't say the same for her chest and hind quarters. " _Whoever designed this armor was either a pervert of a genius._ " She thought. " _Wait a minute… I made these clothes._ " Camilla laughed to herself quietly.

"We're at the Bottomless Canyon to get some rare flowers that grow here." Selena reminded her as a chill breeze drifted by. "Now this is where the flowers should be." Selena pointed to a red flower that stood out from the dead plants and weeds, almost like a beacon of sorts.

Camilla bent over to examine it, which was Selena's cue to initiate the plan. "Sorry!" Selena yelled as she shoved Camilla to the ground, and sprinted across the bridge into the woods.

Camilla looked up to see that her retainer had left, and felt that she should promptly execute her for treason when she got back to the castle. The single problem was that leaving the castle was a one-way trip, in that the only way to get back once someone had left was standing near Kamui when he chanted his incantation to return. This meant that Camilla was effectively stranded at the Bottomless Canyon by herself.

"So Ryoma, you know the plan?" Kamui asked as he sat next to Ryoma on a fallen log. The two of them had made a suitable camp that consisted of a tent and a lit fire.

"Wait until Camilla comes, spend the night with her, then wait until you come tomorrow morning to pick us up." Ryoma restated what Kamui had drilled into his mind an hour earlier. Suddenly, a figure burst out of the nearby overgrowth, revealing herself to be Selena.

"Kamui, it's... time to… hah... go." She panted for breath as she doubled over. "Man, do I need to train more."

"See you tomorrow, brother." Ryoma smiled as he watched Kamui depart with Selena in a flash of blue. Now began the process of finding Camilla, who was supposedly across the nearby bridge.

He calmly walked along the rickety bridge while refusing to look down at the looming abyss of the canyon. "Is anyone there?" He called out while looking left and right to see where Camilla was.

"Ryoma, is that you?" A voice called out. A voice that was definitely not Camilla's.

"Who's there?! Show yourself!" Ryoma gripped the hilt of his sword, Raijinto, as a figure approached. She wore red plate armor, with short blond hair and a very tomboyish look to her. Her orange eyes lacked a pupil and had noticeable a sag underneath them, and she had a blue bandana wrapped around the top of her head.

"It's me, Scarlet." She stated before slowly approaching him. Her gait was most unusual, as it resembled a reanimated corpse shambling across the ground. "You know, your first love who Kamui slaughtered?"

"That's preposterous! Kamui never killed anyone who didn't deserve it!" Ryoma struggled to remember this girl, but his mind was drawing a blank.

"Oh, poor, poor Ryoma. Too stubborn to admit his little brother is a cheat and a scoundrel. He killed me to save his own skin!" Scarlet continued her advance as Ryoma backed away from her, desperately trying to maintain his resolve. "Don't worry sweetie, I'll put you out of your misery." She grabbed her steel ax from her backside while licking her lips; a positively deranged look was on her face.

Scarlet let out a roar of triumph as she slashed her ax downward. Ryoma parried the blow with his sword, and sparks of lightning bounced off the blade. Scarlet attempted to strike again, but Ryoma continued to block every blow.

"Who are you?" Ryoma thoughts flew into a panic while the eerie grin on this girl's face did little to ease his confusion.

"Your first love!" Scarlet responded as her strikes quickened. Before she could continue, she was knocked to the ground by a flash of purple.

"Camilla!?" Ryoma attempted to feign confusion; Camilla could tell he was lying through his teeth as she pressed Scarlet to the ground.

"Help me kill this thing already!" Camilla clenched her jaw as she enclosed Scarlet's cold hands with her own. The blond girl's feet were kicking and contorting in a struggle to throw Camilla off. Her knee swung directly into Camilla's hips, and given that the princess' armor was not covering her hips, Camilla drew back while grunting in pain as Scarlet stood up.

"You wanna gang up on a girl, huh?" The sag in her eyes was growing larger and larger. Ryoma hurried to Camilla's side as he brought his sword out before them. "Good thing I have the divine power of Anankos on my side!"

Scarlet began to rise off the ground while storm clouds swirled in the darkened sky above. She brought her hand toward the sky and grinned with delight as a bolt of lightning struck her fingers. "My god gives me the power of storms! What do your crummy gods give you?" Puffs of clouds began to attach themselves to Scarlet until only her head peeked out of a grey ball of smog. "A big, fat _nothing_ , that's what!" The skies above were completely filled with dark clouds.

"Oh, for gods sake, someone please shut her up already!" Camilla used Ryoma's burly shoulder to pull herself up while she glared. Her silver ax was now grasped tightly in her hands.

The collection of smog that Scarlet encased herself in began to contort and stretch. Two talons emerged from the ball; lightning crackled within its claws. A pair of wings followed, and the sound of thunder broke the silence while the appendages flapped.

"Look at me now, Ryoma!" A reptilian head emerged while flashes of lightning sparked within the body of this beast. While it continued to flap its wings, it let out a mighty roar. "I'm an unstoppable dragon!" Ryoma noticed that the dragon's voice sounded like a deeper version of Scarlet's.

"Why can't this just be a normal night?" Ryoma let out a sigh as his eyes widened. He really was not eager to fight a dragon made of literal storm clouds.

"There's a time for complaining, and there's a time for running." Camilla glanced over to the Hoshidan King, then back to their opponent. "And I think this is the time for the latter."

Ryoma and Camilla began to sprint back across the bridge and into the forest of dead trees. Scarlet let out a roar in her new form as she followed after them, which did little to calm Ryoma's accelerating heartbeat. Camilla's purple locks were now flowing behind her and revealing her pair of violet eyes.

Camilla glanced behind her as her eyes widened. "Duck!" She yelled; Ryoma deduced that she was not talking about the species of waterfowl, but rather the action of crouching to avoid something.

A sharp pair of talons snatched at the air where Ryoma and Camilla's heads were; the two could feel the heat of Scarlet's claws from above their scalps.

Ryoma's metallic foot braces continued to clink along the dirt floor of the canyon as Scarlet flew in the same direction they were running in. Naturally, she was faster and began to climb through the air. Ryoma was rather happy that he was spending time with Camilla, but he preferred to not be chased by a homicidal thunder dragon in that time.

Scarlet stopped going forward as she took a sharp left. She continued to soar through the air, only now she was charging headfirst at Ryoma and Camilla.

"I've got you now!" Her voice was rising in pitch with every second. Ryoma and Camilla dove to the left as Scarlet dragged her talons through the ground.

Camilla picked her head off the ground and noticed that Scarlet was now standing upright. Her gigantic wings were lax and unmoving as they seemed to stretch out into the sky.

Without warning, Scarlet began to stomp toward the two as they picked themselves off the ground. Her claws crushed the twigs underneath them as she leaned over Ryoma. "You went and got me mad!"

Ryoma dove out of the way as Scarlet slammed her head into the dirt. He looked to where her face was and noticed that it was lodged into the ground in a comical manner. Scarlet struggled to pull her nose out of the dirt, which gave Ryoma the opportunity to mount a counter attack.

He wrapped his hands around Scarlet's neck as she pulled her face out of the ground. Ryoma felt the odd, almost wool-like texture of her body as she reared her head back and let out a deafening roar. The breeze caused his hair to flap in the wind like a kite while he firmly held on for dear life.

Scarlet began to rise higher into the air as Ryoma clung to her neck. Camilla watched from the ground with a sense of awe on her visage.

"Go for the eyes!" Camilla called out. Ryoma grunted as Scarlet pulled her head down.

In the blink of an eye, Scarlet flicked her neck up, and Ryoma lost his grip as he was catapulted through the air. He sailed directly upward as wind lashed his face, and he gazed below him to see Scarlet positioning her open mouth to where Ryoma was going to land.

" _This is the end for me…_ " He thought until he remembered that he had a legendary Hoshidan sword at his side. " _Wait, this gives me an idea!_ " Ryoma grabbed the hilt of his blade while he fell through the air.

Camilla gazed on in horror as Ryoma was swallowed whole by the large dragon, who laughed maniacally as she began to descend.

"Yum! Who knew steamed lobster tasted so good?" Scarlet cackled, then felt something sting inside her gut. "Ow, what was that?"

She began to flap her wings desperately as she rose into the sky. Her entire body convulsed and spasmed as she climbed; a series of coughing noises echoed from her mouth. Tufts of her cloudy body began to dissipate and fall off.

The storm clouds that were blocking out the moon began to move away, and a glowing beam of moonlight enveloped Scarlet as she let out one final wheeze.

A glowing sword emerged from her stomach and made a diagonal cut along her belly. Scarlet exploded in a blaze of clouds while tufts of her body dotted the ground; Camilla noted the resemblance between the cloudy fragments and snowflakes. Camilla also noted that someone had fallen out of the explosion.

Wind lashed at Ryoma's face as he fell through the air. He spread his arms out wide and noticed that a pile of fluff had accumulated on the ground. Ryoma flipped himself so that he would land on his posterior, then felt himself become enveloped by the lump of clouds. He felt as though he had landed on a pile of wool, and felt no pain while he attempted to climb out of the pile.

A gloved pair of hands reached into the lump and grabbed Ryoma by the shoulders. He emerged into the moonlight, as Camilla was revealed to be the one who yanked him out.

"That was incredibly awe-inspiring." She smiled at the king, who meekly smiled back. "May I ask what you're doing here?"

"Kamui thought it would be funny to leave me here for the night," Ryoma stated as he felt the warmth of Camilla's hand, who were now clasping his own. Camilla looked down at her fists and chuckled mildly as she pulled them away.

"Funny you should say that, as Selena performed the exact same maneuver on me." Camilla looked up at the ray of moonlight where Scarlet used to be and noticed something descend to the ground. "Say, what is that?" She pointed to the object.

It was a snow-white robe that was adorned with wings and a halo at its crown. Ryoma waded his feet through the remains of Scarlet until he stood before the object.

"This is a Seraph Robe. It will increase the vitality of whoever uses it," He stated. Camilla walked beside him and looked down at the thing. "After you." Ryoma stood to the side and pointed to the robe.

"Really? For me?" Camilla smiled as she lifted the robe off the ground, then watched as it transformed into a ball of green energy. The energy flowed through her hands and directly into her body; Camilla felt a surge of power and health. "Why thank you, Ryoma. Now, back to more pressing issues. Do you have a camp set up?" Camilla adjusted her purple locks until her left eye was covered.

"As a matter of fact, I do. Follow me." Ryoma motioned behind him with his hand as he trudged through the fluffy piles. Camilla followed after him.

Once they had made it to the camp, Ryoma felt as though he was exceptionally tired, so he began to remove his armor. Seeing as he was shirtless, Camilla couldn't help but stare at his bulging muscles, and his rock-like chest.

" _Gods, how much time must one spend training to attain that level of fitness?_ " Camilla thought. She felt exhausted as well, so she began to remove her armor until all that covered her was her brassiere. She threw her armor into a little pile separate from Ryoma's and felt a cold breeze waft by.

Ryoma entered the tent and laid down under a covering while Camilla followed; A good distance was in between the two while they laid on their backs. "Good night." She spoke.

"Good night," Ryoma repeated as he laid on his side. He couldn't tear his eyes off her face, while the desire to hold her in his arms was burning deep in his core. " _How long have I stayed awake at night, longing for the feeling of her body against my own?_ " Ryoma sighed as he attempted the most dangerous thing he'd ever done; more dangerous than letting himself be engorged by a massive weather dragon, or jumping into the Bottomless Canyon because his siblings claimed it was safe.

He reached his hand out to Camilla's and clasped her fingers softly as pleasing sensations shot through his nerves.

"Excuse me?!" Camilla rolled to her side, and her arms and stomach were crushing Ryoma's hand while she furrowed her brow. "What exactly do you think you're doing!?"

"Sorry! I wasn't thinking and I thought-" Ryoma struggled to pull his hand away from underneath her midriff, but was unsuccessful.

"Wait a minute." Camilla grabbed his wrist sternly as she began to think. "You like me." Her eyes drifted over his features. "What a coincidence that you and I got stranded together at the canyon. Almost as if Kamui and Selena…" Camilla gasped as Ryoma began to sweat; his cheeks were flush and sweat was trickling down his face. "They set us up."

"No. It's just pure luck that we both got stranded." Ryoma attempted to save face but Camilla was not in the mood.

"Don't give me that wyvern dung. Selena set us up." Camilla was practically seething with rage. "When I get back, she's in for a world of hurt."

"Okay, yes, Kamui and Selena set us up." Ryoma pleaded. "But they did it because you were practically killing yourself chasing after bachelors! They knew that I have feelings for you, so they figured they could introduce us."

Camilla paused and looked to the floor as she bit her lip. Ryoma's hand was still trapped underneath her.

"So that's why you carried me to the infirmary last night." Camilla began rolling closer to Ryoma; fear was sent through his thoughts as he shuddered. She stopped her advance when she was directly next to him and began dragging her finger along his chest, which was toned and sturdy from his training regiment. She began to consider him, given that he had fought a lightning dragon and won.

"What are you doing?" Ryoma looked down to his chest before Camilla grabbed the back of his head and felt the silky texture of his hair.

"Kissing you." Camilla smiled as she pressed her soft lips to his own; his arm that she laid atop was now draped over her smooth back.

* * *

For those who don't get the Seraph Robe joke, it was a reference to the fact that beating any boss in _The_ _Legend of Zelda_ gives you a heart container.


	5. Chapter Five: Don't Mess With Caeldori

Don't Mess With Caeldori

* * *

"I'm just saying that Caeldori needs somebody to go camping with her." Subaki leaned forward in his wooden chair that sat opposite to the one Kamui rested in. A table with a teapot and two blueberry muffins resting atop its white covering was in between the two friends.

Kamui had invited Subaki to his quarters to discuss the Caeldori issue, but unfortunately for Kamui, Subaki was adamant in his desire to be the catalyst of his daughter's marriage.

"Subaki, I don't want to say the same thing again and again, but," Kamui finished rubbing his temples in frustration. "I'm not interested."

"Why not? She's quite beautiful you know, and I think you should step in before that Hisame punk does." Subaki scowled as he looked to the side. "I swear, that miscreant is always sneaking quick glances at her."

"Why does everyone hate Hisame? He seems like a nice fellow." Kamui grabbed a muffin off the table.

"He unnerves me. He has this thing with pickles and-" Subaki was interrupted by Kamui, who was speaking while the taste of berries filled his mouth.

"P-Pickles?" Kamui fought the urge to laugh, as he preferred not to spew chunks of blueberries on Subaki. He finished chewing while Subaki threw him a disgusted look.

"Yes, pickles. I've heard rumors that he sleeps with one too." Subaki snickered with a smile plastered on his face.

"Lay off the guy." Kamui shot him a glare, then shifted his focus to his bookshelf. A book stuck out from the holder like a sore thumb, and it had an image of a skull and crossbones on it. He had a sneaking suspicion that Caeldori had snuck that book into his room, in the hopes that he would read it.

"Why are we discussing this?" Subaki asked while pouring himself a glass of tea out of the metallic holder. "Back to the matter at hand, I need you to go camping with Caeldori today."

"Why can't you go with her?" Kamui asked before glancing to the entrance of his room; he weighed the pros and cons of sprinting out the door.

"Because she specifically requested that you come with her. Not I, or her mother. You." Subaki finished sipping his tea as he raised an eyebrow at Kamui. "Think about how _devastated_ she'll be if you didn't go with her."

"Fine." Kamui groaned as he stood up; his focus shifted to everywhere that wasn't Subaki's face, including the chandelier attached to the ceiling. "What time do you want us to go camping?"

"You'll spend the night at a predetermined campground near the Kingdom of Izumo. Any questions?" Subaki stood up as well.

"What happens if Caeldori gets kidnapped by rogue Nohrian soldiers?" Kamui threw out the wildest possibility he could think of.

"I'd be very disappointed in your skills at guarding someone." Subaki began to walk out the door; Kamui walked behind him into the warm air outside. He followed Subaki down the wooden ladder and noticed a man training in the central yard.

Hisame stood in the exact same spot that he had stood in yesterday, and was repeating the same motions as if time had never passed. The only difference was that he was stabbing a training dummy with a spear instead of a sword.

"Hello, Hisame!" Kamui called out; he waved both of his hands in an effort to catch his attention. Hisame turned his focus from the bruised training puppet to Kamui; a beautiful smile crept along his face as he dropped his sword.

"Hello, Lord Kamui," Hisame stated before he strode towards the prince.

"Please, just Kamui is fine," Kamui spoke as the sun beamed above them, which sent metaphorical piles of heat onto everyone outside. This did not affect Kamui, given that his new white armor was relatively light. He needed the ability to perform fancy flips and rolls during combat, after all. Hisame, on the other hand, felt as though he would collapse at a moment's notice due to the baggy sleeves of his armor.

"Isn't today your birthday?" Kamui asked with his eyebrow raised as Hisame stood before him.

"Y-yes it is." Hisame's breathing and panting became sporadic and 'funny' for a moment; his eyes twitched and his fingers clenched tightly.

"Is something wrong?" Kamui placed his hand on the man's shoulder while giving him a tender smile.

"It's just that… My parents haven't realized that yet, so I wasn't expecting someone to… care about me." Hisame smiled at Kamui as his exhaling smoothened out into a normal rate.

"Do you want me to tell Hinata and Hana?"

"No, that won't be necessary. I'll wait and see if they can figure it out." He paused for a brief moment; staring out at the glade of trees and the ponds, he let out a forlorn sigh. "When you were growing up, did you ever had to deal with bullies?"

"Not necessarily, although the trade-off was my sheltered childhood. Why do you ask?" Kamui followed Hisame's gaze with his own.

"Well, growing up in that deep realm, there was this village. Everyone there believed the house my charge and I lived in was cursed or something. Apparently, that was enough jurisdiction for them to hurl insults at me. Every time I passed that town, I would hear the words 'freak', 'unloved', or other hurtful statements like that."

Kamui's ears perked up when he heard the faint sound of a sniffle, which most likely was Hisame's.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." He gently placed his hand on Hisame's shoulder.

"This might sound strange, given that we met yesterday, but I do consider you a very close friend. Thank you, Kamui." Hisame wiped his eyes with his sleeve and gazed longingly at Caeldori, who passed by.

Much later, during the evening, two Nohrian soldiers walked around in an endless walkway alongside sakura trees.

"Remind me why we're at Izumo?" Jerry asked as he walked down the dirt path.

"We'se just taking a short break from the Nohrian army, and I figured the grand kingdom of Izumo would'a been a good place to have a vacation." His friend, George, responded.

Jerry was a very large man, with a face that was defined and easily recognizable in a crowd along with his short brown hair. George was almost the exact opposite, as he was a short and stubby man with an incredibly average looking face.

The two had been friends since they were children, and getting drafted into the Nohrian army did nothing to change that. "I tell ya, I ain't cut out for this fighting business." George gazed at the night sky above, as he was using the constellations to guide him. He struggled to keep himself from focusing on the beautiful swaying of the tree branches above. "Man, the plants here make Nohr's look like dirty gawbahge."

"You meant to say 'Garbage', right?" Jerry raised his eyebrow in a quizzical manner.

"Yeah, gawbahge. Tresh. Doity, stinkin' tresh." George spoke; Jerry found it trivial to question his accent.

"George, we're lost aren't we?" Jerry sighed as his pace slowed.

"No, we ain't lost! That's preposterous!" George threw his hands up in frustration as he stopped walking. Jerry sat down next to him.

"This is the third time we've passed that tree." He pointed to a large sakura tree that had a ring around its base.

"Well, I suppose we are lost, dammit!" George raised his fist to the sky. "Curse you, astrology!"

"Shouldn't we set up a camp or something?"

"Don't be ridiculous. We'll get outta this forest one way or anotha'." George staunchly believed that camps were for people without ambition, and he considered himself very ambitious. "Well, what do you suppose we do?"

"Uh," Jerry stood up from the dirt as he kicked a nearby pebble. "You got anyone at home waiting for you?"

"Yeah, my fiance Agnes. Most beautiful lady I've ever set my eyes on. Said we'se supposed to have some kids when I get back." George patted Jerry on the back. "You got a girl back home?"

"No, just my mother." Jerry sighed as he looked fondly at the trees. "Wait, does that mean you know where babies come from?"

"Yeah, I 'spose I do." George realized that Jerry had never received a proper education on childbirth.

"Where do they come from then?" Jerry leaned forward in anticipation.

"Well, you see, Jerry." George stood up from his seat and began to wave vividly with his arms. "When a maiden lowers the drawbridge to her palace, a knight thrusts his iron lance right in there, then a little baby comes out about nine months lata' ."

"What the hell does any of that have to do with babies?" Jerry covered his face with his right hand in confusion. "Hey, do you hear something?" His ears perked up as he heard a faint voice, although it was muffled through all the foliage.

"Well, here's the spot my father picked out for us." Caeldori smiled as she dropped her large backpack on the ground. Kamui fell to the dirt in a pile, as he thoroughly exhausted from the long trek to the campground. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be… fine." Kamui let out a prolonged wheezing noise that sounded like a goose. "Just give me a minute," Kamui mumbled into the dirt as Caeldori pulled a large tent, a hammer, and some wooden stakes out of her bag.

A short while later and Caeldori had pitched a tent in front of the inactive campfire. "I think I'm just gonna crawl in that tent for a bit," Kamui stated as he tried to stand up, but fell to the ground.

"You have fun with that." Caeldori wiped her brow as she stared at the trees, calculating how many would have to be chopped for a good amount of firewood. "I'll go get us some wood in the meantime." Caeldori walked off into the forest while she clutched the ax that she had borrowed from Camilla.

"You know who that is?" George whispered as he peered over the brush and stared at the sleeping man.

"No. Why are we stalking him?" Jerry responded as he kneeled next to George.

"Because, dummy, that's the traitor prince Kamui! You know how much commendations we'll get if we haul 'im in?"

"Enough to get us out of the army?" Jerry's brown eyes were beaming.

"Yeah! I can be with Agnes, and you can be with your motha'!" George stood up, slowly approaching Kamui.

"But isn't kidnapping wrong?" Jerry asked as he slinked behind George.

"Yes, but we ain't kidnappin' an innocent here! We're arresting the man responsible for the destruction of Cheve!" George leaned over the gray-haired man. "You gotta knock 'em out first."

"Alright," Jerry answered as he wrapped his arm around Kamui's mouth. The prince struggled at first while waving his arms frantically and screaming, but eventually, his movements stopped and his eyes closed.

"Easiest job of my life," George said while helping Jerry pick up the unconscious man. The two began walking back to the brush when suddenly, the sound of rushing air caught his attention.

George craned his neck to the side, as a kunai flew above his head and collided with a tree. Jerry, who slung the criminal on his shoulder, turned around in shock to see a red-haired woman staring them down; a look most furious was on her face.

"You know what I would do if I were you?" Caeldori questioned; her insides were practically boiling with rage as she clenched her hands.

"Run?" Jerry answered as sweat poured down his face.

"Exactly." Caeldori cracked her neck before breaking into a sprint. George tore off into the forest as Jerry followed him; their prisoner bounced on his shoulder with every step.

"Oh, dear gods have mercy on us!" George screamed in fear as Jerry ran by his side.

"We gotta get outta here!" Jerry yelled as he threw Kamui off his shoulder, realizing his life was worth more than a simple reward. Because he now had the literal weight off his shoulders, Jerry's pace quickened until he was much farther ahead than George. "George, come on!" Jerry looked behind to see the woman from before, sprinting right behind George.

Caeldori yelled an animalistic scream as her footsteps grew quicker and quicker; she was waiting for the right moment to tackle her short and stubby prey.

The two soldiers took a sharp left turn and dove behind a tree; Caeldori took the same turn and sprinted past their hiding place. She stopped, gazed around, and began to search the area.

George began to whimper quietly. He clutched his friend's hand as they slumped against the tree; the sound of his heart beating grew faster with every passing moment.

Jerry began to sniffle. He started to rub his nose as he inhaled.

"Ah… Ah…"

"What's the matta' with you?" George whispered. The sound of their pursuer's footsteps growing louder and louder was all he could focus on.

Jerry pointed to his nose, then made a motion as if he was expelling something from his nostrils.

"Ah… Ah!"

Caeldori's ears perked up as she heard someone sneeze; the sound came from right behind the tree she stood in front of. She grabbed Camilla's ax and began to hack away at the tree.

"Run!" George screamed as he scrambled away from the crazed ax-brandisher. Jerry sprinted after him and watched in terror as the woman as practically upon him.

Fortunately for Caeldori, the large man at the tail end of the two had stumbled on a tree root and had collapsed on the dirt.

"Jerry! Get up Jerry!" George panicked as he stopped and knelt over his friend. Caeldori stopped her movements in the blink of an eye and skidded past the two.

"Ow." Jerry rubbed his head as he looked up, and locked eyes with the red-haired woman. She stomped towards them, unsheathed her ax, and Jerry screamed in terror as he backed up. George stood at his front with his arms outstretched.

"Do whatever you want to me, just don't hurt him!" George looked to the side; his eyes were closed and he winced in a combination of fear and pain. Caeldori stared at him, then at his friend who collapsed on the ground. "We're sorry we kidnapped your husband. We just needed a way to see our families again, and he was our only solution."

She took a long breath as her mind pondered whether to kill or spare these two. Seconds felt like years to all of them while Caeldori thought silently.

"Out of my sight, before I change my mind."

George beamed with excitement as he ran over to Jerry and helped him to his feet.

"Thank you, miss! We won't forget your kindness!" The two soldiers ran behind her into the clearing. Caeldori sighed as she began stomping back to her camp.

" _They said I was Kamui's wife._ " She repeated that thought to herself until she found the collapsed prince. She slung Kamui over her shoulder while grunting slightly as he weighed her down. Caeldori seated him against the side of the tent and sat on her knees before him. She firmly clasped his shoulders and jostled him; his head shook back and forth as he began to stir.

"Caeldori?" His voice was incredibly groggy as his eyes slowly opened. She couldn't bear to wait any longer and placed her lips to his. "Mmph?!" A panicked look was on Kamui's face as she took him in her arms.

"I've waited so long for this." She said in between kisses. She noted that Kamui struggles increased as time passed, and his face became a notable shade of red.

" _This is so wrong!_ " He thought. He was unable to push her away as she continued to kiss him. She stopped, and a look of satisfaction grew in her expressions as she stood up.

"Time for bed." She smiled as she walked into the tent. She placed one foot in front of the other in a seductive manner before glancing behind with a lewd stare. Kamui dared not follow, lest he discover her removing her clothing, or worse. Instead, he cradled his head in his arms as he wondered what exactly had just transpired.

" _She thinks I love her._ " Kamui's thoughts spiraled into a panicked fever until he realized a certain key fact. " _Why do I not love her_?" He couldn't quite formulate an answer to this question; not for several moments, at least. " _Oh, gods. I still view her as a child._ " Kamui looked to the dirt floor while the burning sensation in his cheeks grew hotter and hotter. When they had embraced, Kamui didn't feel like he was kissing someone his age; he felt as though he was kissing the energetic little girl he met two weeks ago.

Inside the tent, Caeldori was ecstatic as she tossed her clothing to the side of a blanket.

"My first kiss!" She squealed with glee before crawling underneath the wool covering. " _When he comes in, we can make sweet love together!_ " Her thoughts raced as Kamui entered the tent.

His expression was one of someone very exhausted. "Well, what are you waiting for? Strip down and join me!" Caeldori smiled as Kamui averted his eyes. The blanket covered her body except for her shoulders, but that was enough to make Kamui's gut sink. He silently removed the chest piece of his armor before slinking underneath the covers of the covering. "Come on! Take me in your arms!" She rolled to his side and nudged his shoulder as he laid solemnly.

"Let's just go to sleep, okay?" Kamui answered without opening his eyes. Caeldori rolled onto her back with a displeased look on her face.

"So this is the thanks I get for saving your life?" Her tone sounded remarkably harsh.

Meanwhile, in Kamui's castle, Hisame gazed to the single slice of birthday cake on his table; a lit candle sat atop the piece of dessert.

" _Surely, they've figured it out by now._ " He sighed before exiting his bed. He strode to the table and sat down in his recliner. He was eager to continue his reading of 'Spear Tactics For the Uninitiated', after all.

Ten minutes passed; Hisame could tell because he counted every second. His parents still didn't show.

Thirty minutes passed, and nobody came.

An hour passed. Hisame laid back on his mattress in a mixture of anger, sadness, and sleeplessness. " _Of course they didn't show._ " As he laid on his bed, he fought the urge to cry when he realized that his parents only visited three times during the eighteen years Hisame spent in the deep realm.

Hana stood outside the door to the hallway that Hisame's room was located in while she battled with her frustration at the locked door. Her husband, Hinata, fumbled with the doorknob until he pulled himself back.

"It won't budge." He sounded rather defeated.

"Of course, the one thing keeping us from wishing our son a happy birthday is a locked door." Hana threw her hands up in anger before kicking the door. The sound of wood cracking filled her ears, but the door still didn't budge.

* * *

Halfway through writing this chapter, I realized George and Jerry are the names of two characters in _Seinfeld_. So now I just imagine Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza being chased through a forest by Caeldori.

Beautiful.


	6. Chapter Six: Outrun the Flood

Outrun the Flood

* * *

Kamui squinted his eyes upon awakening while sunlight poured through the tent flap. He shifted his head upward off the pillow it rested on, but a pair of hands wrapped tightly around his chest strained his movements. He placed his head back on the fluffy sleep-aide and gazed to his left, which revealed Caeldori, who rested on her side directly next to Kamui.

Her arms were coiled around his torso and her head buried itself into his shoulder. She let out a tiny grunt as her grip lessened. Kamui began to remove her hands from his chest, which caused Caeldori to raise her head slowly whilst opening her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She asked while looking at her hands, which Kamui was firmly gripping.

"Removing your hands from me." Kamui sighed as he let go of her warm fingers, and promptly stood up. He was still fully clothed, which he couldn't say the same for her. "We should get going soon."

"Just give me five more minutes," Caeldori muttered while rolling onto her front. Kamui walked through the tent flap into the outdoors; a thick fog was rolling through the forest.

" _I'm gonna dedicate the rest of my life to forgetting this._ " He thought while a sour taste built in his mouth. He couldn't tell Caeldori that he wasn't interested in her, because that would crush her heart. However, his mind began to race on how to solve his dilemma. " _If I could forget this happened, then it wouldn't be awkward!_ " He slammed his fist downward into his open palm as he smiled. "Nyx probably knows something about memory removal, so I can ask her when I get back." He muttered aloud as Caeldori came out of the tent.

"What?" She asked while adjusting her white hairband. "What did you say?" Caeldori looked to him, then began to remove the wooden stakes that kept the tent upright. After she had packed everything into her bag, Kamui noticed that said bag was about to burst from how full it was.

"Nothing. Let's be on our way." Kamui held out his hand.

"Alright. I can't wait to tell my parents about this!" Caeldori smiled as she clasped his hand; her fingers were wrapped around his. Kamui closed his eyes as he began to mutter the incantation to return to his castle.

"Sdrawkcab egassem!" Kamui yelled the incantation and a bright flash of blue enveloped both of them. Moments later, they found themselves in the central courtyard of the castle.

"What the heck were you saying?" Caeldori raised her eyebrow as Setsuna, who was carrying two buckets of paint, walked by.

"I don't know. It was just on a card that Lilith gave me." Kamui shrugged his shoulders as he began walking towards the central castle. "See you later." He waved to Caeldori.

"See you later as well!" Caeldori smiled as she waved.

Five minutes later, Nyx was interrupted from her studies by a knocking on her door. She sighed before getting off her bed and walking to the door, and opened it to see Kamui looking down to her eye level.

"Hi there, Nyx. I was wondering if you could help me with something." Kamui smiled in an obviously fictitious manner. Nyx rolled her eyes and shut the door, but was stopped by Kamui's foot.

"Gods damn it." She placed the palm of her hand to her face and slowly dragged it downward in anger. "Fine. Invade my privacy with your petty troubles." Nyx walked away from the door and sat on a very tall chair. Kamui stepped into the dimly-lit room and noticed that every piece of furniture she had was painted black, save for a section of the wall.

As if on cue, Setsuna entered the room and set a bucket of paint next to the wall.

"Here you go Nyx. I hope this makes us even now." Setsuna noticed Kamui and waved to him; Kamui noted that her clothing was stained with the tar-like mixture.

"It does. You may go now." Nyx gazed to the bucket, then to Setsuna.

"Really? Not even a 'thank you', or anything?" Setsuna sighed as she exited the room.

"So what is it you need?" Nyx watched as Kamui sat into the chair opposite her table, which was barely off the ground in contrast to her incredibly tall recliner.

"Can you erase a specific memory from my thoughts permanently?" Kamui leaned forward in his chair.

"Yes. In fact, I did that to your brother three weeks ago. Ryoma was his name."

"What did you erase from him?"

"Surely you remember the grief he was in after that Scarlet girl died, yes?" Nyx stood up from her chair and paced around the room.

"How could I forget? He spent that week in his room crying, then he spent the next week as if nothing had happened."

"That's because I made him think nothing had happened. I hexed his brain because he requested it, and I can do the same for you." Nyx began filing through drawers with labels on them.

"So that's why he didn't remember her!" Kamui's eyes beamed.

"Precisely. What exactly do you need to be forgotten? Did you watch your parents have sexual intercourse?"

"Ew, no!" Kamui felt as though a rock had smashed into his stomach; he also forgot that both of his parents were deceased. "I just need to forget last night."

"Alright, and what do you wish to replace last night with?"

"Why do you need to replace it?" Kamui raised his eyebrow in an inquisitive manner.

"Because a removed memory needs a substitute, or else your subconscious will go mad trying to figure out what transpired."

"Okay, so in that case, how about you say that I spent the night hanging out with Hisame?" Kamui felt giddy inside. Finally, he wouldn't have to remember that horrible night.

"Now, that I can work with. Seeing as you're the owner of this castle, I won't charge you for this. Regardless, It's a relatively mundane spell, so…" Nyx stood in front of Kamui and waved her hand slowly as Kamui stared at it. A purple mist emanated from her palm while Kamui began to feel very tired. He shut his eyes and began to snore as Nyx walked to her bookcase.

She filled through all her tomes that started with D until she found what she was looking for. After pulling her copy of 'Dreams, and How to Manipulate the Subconscious' from the shelf, she stood at the sleeping prince's side. Nyx looked through all the pages until she settled on one that contained a picture of a spider. A detailed list of poses and chants was listed underneath the image, with archaic writing complementing the lists.

"I summon thee! Maerd redoops!" Nyx yelled while raising her hand as a purple mist-like substance began to materialize in her palm. She lowered her arm, looked to her hand, and watched as the mist assembled itself into a spider the size of her fingernails. She moved her hand to Kamui's ear and lowered her head before blowing the spider into Kamui's ear canal.

Nyx went back to her chair, given that her job was done, and waited for half-an-hour until Kamui began to stir.

"Wh-where am I?" Kamui looked around the room in a panicked manner.

"You passed out after I showed you my collection of shrunken heads. Now, where were you last night?"

"Uh, I was playing boulder-parchment-shears with Hisame for six hours," Kamui answered as he stood up. "Thanks for showing me your… head ensemble." He stated with a nervous tone before walking out of Nyx's room into the hallway.

"You're welcome." Nyx's voice was dry and coarse as Kamui shut the door behind him.

An hour later, Subaki walked through the training yard as a warm breeze complimented the shining sun above. His focus turned to Orochi and Odin, who were both clutching yellow books.

"Hello, Orochi and Odin. What are you two doing?" Subaki asked with a smile while waving.

"I'm trying to teach Orochi how to harness the almighty destruction of tomes!" Odin spoke in his usual over-the-top voice; Subaki rolled his eyes.

"What Odin is trying to say," Orochi gave her 'friend' a glare before looking towards Subaki. "Is that he's teaching me how to use Nohrian magic."

"Ah, I see." Subaki was one-hundred percent positive that someone was going to be struck by a stray fireball. "Well, by all means, carry on." He began to walk away from the two magic-users, and his gaze was drawn to his daughter, who was sitting by on a bench underneath a sakura tree. "Hello, Caeldori!" He waved his arm in an energetic manner as Caeldori noticed him.

"Hello, father!" She smiled and patted the empty space at her side; she was seemingly beckoning for him to sit next to her. "I need to discuss something with you." After Subaki seated himself on the comfortable bench, Caeldori explained the events of the previous night.

"So you kissed him underneath the pale moonlight after you saved his life, yet he still does not love you?" Subaki tilted his head sideways.

"Exactly. I even snuggled with him this morning, but to no avail." Caeldori sighed while looking to the castle. The figurative cogs in Subaki's head began to turn as she gazed longingly.

" _Wait a minute. Avail. Fort Lansdale_." Subaki beamed.

The sound of spells and magic going haywire filled the air.

"Everyone hit the deck!" Odin yelled out while a large bolt of electricity soared into the air. Subaki looked over the back of the bench and saw that Odin and Orochi were now huddled together; half of the ground around their feet was singed and the other half was frozen. "Sorry, we got a novice tome user here."

" _Called it._ " Subaki thought before getting back to the problem at hand. "You know that decrepit fort near the Woods of the Forlorn?"

"Yes, Fort Lansdale. I've heard it was abandoned many years ago from mass paranoia within the troops. It's more of a maze filled with traps now." Caeldori leaned forward in her seat.

"We could set you up in that fort, and you could pretend to be a damsel in distress. I'd send Kamui to rescue you, and you can literally make him fall for you in a fort, at night." Subaki's tongue felt parched, and he began to crave a beverage; he could probably ask Selena for more tea after this.

"I like it." Caeldori checked through the possible scenarios in her head. "What would happen if Kamui was unable to rescue me?"

"Hmm. What if I sent somebody to extract you through the back door?"

"Why the heck is there a back door to a maze?!" Caeldori held her forehead in disbelief at whoever constructed the fort.

"There's a back entrance to a secret room, which is where you would be dropped off, so there's no real danger for you." Subaki couldn't care less about answering that question about the back door. "Will you go with this plan?"

"Absolutely. Let's leave tonight before everyone goes to bed." Caeldori answered as she stood up.

Later that evening Kamui rested in his quarters, and was currently reading some crummy romance book about swashbuckling adventures on the high seas that Caeldori recommended to him.

Subaki burst through the front door and into Kamui's room.

"Kamui, come quick! Caeldori's trapped!" A frenzy was in his eyes and mannerisms while he panted for breath.

"Dear gods, does anyone here knock?!" Kamui groaned and threw his novel to the wall before getting off of his bed. "What happened to Caeldori?"

"She got lost in Fort Lansdale and can't escape! She'll die if you don't help!" Subaki scrambled to the space before Kamui and got on his knees. "Please, save her!" His hands were clasped together as he bowed.

"Alright, alright, but I'm bringing Hisame." Kamui watched as Subaki's expression shifted from begging to anger at the mere mention of Hisame.

"Hi-Hisame? Why on earth would you bring that lousy, ugly, rotten, dirty, cow-stealing, vegetable-loving moron?" Subaki stood up and grabbed Kamui by the shoulders.

"Because I can trust him to help me out. Let me go get him and we can depart." Kamui brushed Subaki's hands off his shoulder and walked out of his room while Subaki followed. The red-haired knight watched as Kamui strode to the central castle.

"This simply will not do at all," Subaki mumbled as Setsuna walked by.

"Hey, Subaki, could you help me get this paint off my clothes." Setsuna was wearing a blue kimono, and her regular attire was folded in her hands.

"Not now, Setsuna, I'm thinking." Subaki shooed her away with his hands but stopped when a thought crossed his mind. "Wait, do you have any arrows that can put one to sleep?"

"Um, why yes, I do." Setsuna fumbled with her bag until she pulled out a single arrow. The inscription '寝る' was scrawled on its shaft.

"Deal, I'll get the paint off your armor, and in exchange, I need you to follow Kamui and Hisame. They're going into a fort to rescue Caeldori, and there's a window into the room where she is. Watch that window, and if you see Hisame enter the room, shoot him with that arrow." Subaki firmly gripped Setsuna by the shoulders, who had a frightened look in her eyes.

"O-Okay?" Setsuna glanced nervously to the side as her muscles tensed.

"Thank you. I think that's the pair of them approaching." Subaki released Setsuna from his grip and pointed to the oncoming duo.

"Well, operation Rescue Caeldori, is a go!" Hisame's enthusiastic tone was made abundantly clear to Subaki, and he did not like one bit of it. Setsuna was hidden behind Subaki, which she wasn't sure was on purpose or not.

"Let's get going already!" Kamui held out his hands, one of which Hisame clasped while Subaki held the other. Setsuna continued the chain with Subaki's other hand, which he outstretched behind him. "Egassem adrawkcab rehtona!"

Another bright flash of blue enveloped Kamui and the gang, who now found themselves in front of a derelict fortress, illuminated by the pale moonlight. They stood in a forest of dead trees, and Hisame swore he heard a wolf's howl in the distance.

"Alright, you two better get going and save Caeldori. I'll stay here and guard the entrance." Subaki pointed to the large, imposing gate before glancing behind him. He had to make sure Setsuna wasn't lost in transit, after all. She was still in one piece, although she looked slightly frazzled.

"We'll be back before long." Hisame tore off towards the entrance to the fort while Kamui followed suit. Setsuna stepped from behind Subaki; both of her eyebrows were raised while she shivered.

"See that door over there?" Subaki pointed to an entrance that was camouflaged behind an overgrowth of vines. "Watch that door, and if you see Hisame enter the room... Put him to sleep."

"N-Now, when you say 'put him to sleep', do you mean-" Setsuna's head was titled as she raised her eyebrow.

"Don't kill him! gods, that would be horrible!" Subaki strode to the door, pushed the vines away, and opened the entrance to reveal a torchlit room. Sitting inside the area was Caeldori, who was busy reading a book. "Psst. Caeldori, over here." Subaki leaned through the doorframe while Caeldori looked up from her tome.

"Is Kamui on the way?" She asked as she stood up.

"Yes, but he's bringing that ingrate, Hisame, with him." Subaki spat onto the floor in disgust. Setsuna leaned in the entrance next to him. "My friend here is going to put Hisame to sleep if he enters the room."

"Strange, but if you insist." Caeldori shrugged before sitting down.

"Try and make yourself look more helpless, as in you should feign crying when Kamui enters." Subaki stated before pulling his frame out of the door and leaving it open. "I'm going to the nearby pond to wash the paint off your clothes. Holler if you need me." Subaki calmly walked into the forest; Setsuna's folded attire was clutched in his hand.

Setsuna let out a sigh as she was left wondering what exactly she had just gotten herself into.

" _I just wanted to go to bed. Is that too much to ask?_ " She thought as she searched the trees for a comfortable perch. After finding a good spot, she clambered up an old oak tree and sat on one of its branches. She was presented with a decent view of the room Caeldori was in, and she trained her focus on the brown door, where either Kamui or Hisame would enter.

She delicately pulled the special arrow out of her bag; its tip was green in coloration. She grabbed her bow out from behind her back and nocked the arrow into place.

Now came the long, uneventful waiting.

Kamui stood at the entrance to a pitch-black maze while Hisame at his side.

"Man, this place is dark," Kamui stated the obvious while Hisame went back outside. He returned with a pair of torches in hand, and gave one to Kamui. "Thanks." The two began walking through the maze for a short while until the relatively small corridor they traversed was molded into a branching path.

"I'll go left, you go right," Hisame stated bluntly as he walked to the left. Kamui began walking to the right. After several moments of walking past chained skeletons in a path that one could describe as 'uneventful', Kamui felt a metallic clinking sound after taking another step, and his foot sank slightly into the ground.

He looked behind him to see a portion of the wall lowering into the ground, and behind it was a row of holes.

"Pressure plates." He groaned as arrows began to shoot out of the openings. Kamui ducked instinctively while the volley continued overhead. He crawled along the ground, and made sure to keep his torch away from his head until he reached a corner. He stood up when he was certain he would not get shot, dusted himself off, and continued along his way.

Hisame, however, had a horrible time going through the maze, seeing as around every corner there was a bony cadaver waiting for him. It's not like they were alive or anything; it's just that he really detested skeletons.

"I swear to the gods, if there's another frightening cadaver around this turn..." He mumbled to himself as he approached another corner. His suspicions were confirmed when a skeletal body fell from the ceiling and collapsed into a pile at his feet.

Hisame's shriek was so loud Kamui mistook it for Caeldori's as he heard it. The sound of footsteps ensued as Hisame let out another yell. "Get me out of here!" He dropped his torch in his panic while he sprinted in the opposite direction he was going, through the maze, and out the front door.

Now that Hisame had exited the maze, his heartbeat was given some time to slow while he leaned against the wooden gate. Hisame did not, however, realize that he had just abandoned Kamui to the horrors of that gods-forsaken maze.

Fortunately, Kamui was standing before a large metal door, which he assumed was the entrance to where Caeldori was. He entered to see his red-haired friend lying on the floor; a helpless look was in her eyes.

"Nngh!" Setsuna grunted as she awoke, and loosed the arrow from her bow. It took her a moment to realize that she had just fired her weapon at Kamui, and not Hisame.

"Ow!" Kamui felt a jolt of pain, then he looked to his shoulder. An arrow had lodged itself deep into his flesh.

Caeldori rushed to his side before embracing him while tears streaked her face. She failed to notice the arrow, Kamui's expression of pain, and the fact that the green sphere tied to his necklace was now glowing brightly.

"Thank you for rescuing me." She mumbled into Kamui's shoulder before he pushed her backward.

What felt like liquid fire coursed through Kamui's veins. His vision became distorted and shaky as his inside felt as though they were being crushed by a chest. He had felt this before; this was word-for-word what he had experienced when he watched his mother pass away before his very eyes.

Setsuna watched as Kamui got down on his arms and knees, and his head began shifting and growing antler-like appendages. Only now did she remember that the poison worked only on humans, and not dragon-folk like Kamui.

Unbeknownst to anyone watching this transpire, the chemicals from the projectile had the opposite effect on dragons and other reptiles. Essentially, Kamui's body was now generating more energy than it could burn through, so it's natural defense mechanism activated.

Caeldori stumbled back and watched in awe -with some mild terror mixed in- as Kamui's hands and feet were replaced with black talons, while a long tail sprouted out of his backside. The prince now resembled an incredibly lanky horse, save for the wings he had grown.

Kamui reared back on his legs and boomed an ear-splitting roar before striding towards Caeldori.

"Get on!" His voice was garbled and twisted; barely recognizable, but Caeldori still complied. She sat on him like she would her pegasus, while her legs dangled on each side of his body as she hugged his neck. After Kamui was certain that Caeldori was secure, he placed his left arm forward.

A clinking sound ensued, and his hand sunk into the ground.

"I hate pressure plates!" He grunted while Caeldori looked behind her to the back wall that held a painting.

She watched as the wall lowered automatically, and revealed a massive amount of water.

"Go!" She screamed as Kamui began galloping into the maze while a torrent of water rushed behind him. He lowered his head and smashed through a stone wall of the maze; his head throbbed in pain as dust flew around him. He charged through another wall and another after that.

Caeldori held onto his back tightly, and gazed behind to see water enveloping everything behind them. The sound of stone cracking and falling to pieces filled her ears.

Kamui could just make out the exit to the maze, but his speed was simply not fast enough to outrun the water. His hands slipped from the liquid, and was sent into a tumble as the water enveloped him. Caeldori yelped as everything around her went dark. She couldn't see, and all she could hear was the sound of rushing water and her heartbeat.

"Hold on!" Kamui attempted to reassure her as he wrapped his wings around her, which protected her from drowning.

Unfortunately, his dragon form had many abilities, but owning gills was not one of them. Water clogged his mouth as the current sent him careening towards the front gate.

Hisame's ears perked up as he leaned against the entrance to the fort; he heard the faint sound of rushing water approaching closer and closer. He dove to his left and looked behind him to see a torrential flood crash through the wooden gate.

Kamui tumbled onto the ground and instinctively relaxed his wings, which released Caeldori to the outside, who rolled through the dirt. Kamui, however, was still pushed by the rushing current, and smashed into a tree.

A cracking sound came from his back. "Ah!" He let out a twisted screech; his voice cracked as his back felt as though it were aflame. Caeldori coughed dirt and soot before scrambling to his side; her expression was panicked and frenzied as he kneeled over him.

Caeldori watched as Kamui shrunk back into his human form and wasted no time in pressing his chest rhythmically.

"Stay with me Kamui! Don't go into the light! Stay! With! Me!" Her voice and expression had only one emotion: fear.

Kamui coughed a copious amount of fluids -including water- before Caeldori attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Hisame and Setsuna rushed to his side. Kamui's vision became faded and distorted as he felt Caeldori's soft lips press against his own.

His eyes closed as he lost all sense of consciousness.

* * *

Truth be told, this entire chapter was kind of an excuse for me to incorporate _Terminal Velocity - Act 2_ into this story.

Which makes it even more ironic now that the virtual soundtrack element is gone because that was stupid.


	7. Chapter Seven: Mother

Mother

Author's note: I recommend listening to the song _Mother?!_ from _Mother 3_ when Severa says "Mother?".

* * *

Selena wore a red kimono and had a towel wrapped around the top of her head as she exited the hot spring. Her eyes drifted to the lone hill near the courtyard; a tree sat atop it and was illuminated by the moon behind it.

" _More rest and relaxation couldn't hurt._ " She thought before she walked to the hill, while her damp feet picked up grass as she strode. Upon reaching the top of the hill, Selena discovered someone else had the same idea as her.

"Good evening Sev- I mean, Selena." Laslow flashed her a smile as he lounged on his back.

"Well, fancy meeting you here, Laslow." Selena stood over her resting friend while a smile crept along her face. "Or should I say... Inigo?"

"Hey, someone might hear you!" Laslow quickly examined the area to make sure no one was listening. "I favor the name Laslow, anyway." His worried expression shifted back into a calm manner.

"Whatever," Selena sat down on the grass as she outstretched her legs. "So what're you doing up here?"

"Getting ready to propose to the love of my life." Laslow took a long, drawn-out sigh as he looked to the edge of a far-off pond where Azura was currently sitting. Selena followed his gaze and was mildly surprised by his statement.

"Really? Laslow the Ylissean philanderer is finally settling down?" Selena snickered quietly as Laslow threw her a glare.

"I was a different man back then." His tone went from relaxed to dry within a single moment.

"We all were different back in Ylisse. I even dated your sister for crying out loud!" Selena noticed the look of shock on Laslow's face, who she assumed had still remembered that experience.

"Oh, gods, I forgot about that!" Laslow cupped his hand over his mouth and fought the urge to gag.

"I was… experimenting... okay?" Selena laughed mildly as she glanced to the side. "Although, I don't think I'm better off now, if we're being honest."

"How so? Your husband is ninety percent of our workforce here, and your daughter is quite lovely." Laslow raised his left eyebrow in a quizzical manner.

"Yeah, but that doesn't change the fact that I married the male equivalent of my mother, and then gave birth to the spitting image of her." Selena unwrapped the towel from around her head and placed it by her side. Her long hair hung downward and reached the ground; Laslow noticed the similarities to her mother's hair.

"And that's a bad thing, because…" Laslow gave her a joking look as she folded her arms.

"Because my mother was insufferable! She was always lusting after _your_ father because mine was busy causing an _apocalypse_!" Selena's cheeks matched her hair color as her tone rose in emotion.

"First off, yes. Robin, or Grima, or whatever we should call that thing, was busying causing the apocalypse, but we averted that future. Secondly, when we went back in time to change our destiny, you saw how much your parents cared for each other. You were at the beach when your mother openly kissed your father in public, for gods' sake!" Laslow stood up and began pacing around the tree. "Cordelia cared about you deeply, and we're all sick and tired of you complaining about how she 'never loved you'." Laslow made little air-quotes with his fingers as he mocked Selena's tone.

"Why should I take your advice about my mother?" Selena looked quite angry now.

Laslow stared at her in disbelief; he was absolutely flabbergasted that she refused to accept the truth.

"Forget it, you're not worth arguing with." He seated himself against the tree and watched as Selena's face became more irate with every passing second.

"Define 'not worth arguing over' please?" She leaned over him with an imposing stare, and her fists were clenched.

"You're too bull-headed to accept other's opinions. You turn everything into your mother because you have a severe attachment issue, and frankly, I recommend you seek some therapy." Laslow let out another sigh as he gazed to the pond. Azura stood up and began walking to the castle. "See you later." Laslow hurriedly scrambled to his feet. A miniature box was clutched in his pocket as he rushed to Azura's side.

"What a jerk," Selena grumbled as she leaned against the tree while her arms were folded. She watched as Laslow got down on one knee. Azura blushed as she clasped her hands in joy. They hugged. "Of course, he gets a happy ending for telling me off." She seated herself on the grass.

"Are you holding up alright, fair maiden?" The familiar voice of Odin called out. He approached the hill while waving to Ryoma and Camilla as they passed by.

"Odin?! What are you doing up this late?" Selena smiled. Slightly.

"Well, Orochi and I are leaving for our 'vacation' tomorrow, so the gods instructed me to check on my friends before I depart." Odin seated himself next to the tree.

"I'm shocked that you consider me a friend," Selena grumbled as Odin gave her a worried look.

"Why would I not treat you like a friend?" Odin raised his eyebrow, and Selena was taken aback by the sincerity of his tone.

"Because I made fun of you non-stop back home. I already drove Laslow away, so I thought I did the same to you." Selena expelled a sigh from her parted lips.

"Well," Odin paused slightly while he began to meticulously choose his words. "Forgiveness is the sign of a strong individual. If I just spent all day grumbling about how someone called me 'dorky', or just simply wronged me, then I would be just as bad as those villains we fought back in Ylisse, because making mistakes is part of being human. Being able to forgive someone for their shortcomings shows you can treat your relationships with care, and that in itself shows that you are strong." Odin looked up to the pale moon. His ears perked up as he heard a sniffling from Selena. "Are you well?"

"That's the..." Selena muttered as she seated herself next to Odin; her knees were brought up to her chest.

"Can you speak up a bit? My yelling has worn out my hearing."

"That's the nicest thing I've heard in a long time." Selena's voice was rather calm, which contrasted her inner thoughts.

Odin watched as his friend curled into a ball and pressed her head into her arms.

"Are you well?" Odin asked as he gently placed a hand on Selena's shoulder.

Selena had fallen asleep, and began to dream about Ylisse.

Three figures stood atop a hill that overlooked a ruined house. One of the girls had long blue hair and a mark in her left eye. The other two people were sisters; one had short red hair, and the other had long strands of white hair that split into two ponytails.

The three friends were gazing in a solemn manner at a pair of graves on the hill. One of the graves had a large 'C' scrawled onto it, and the other had an 'R' symbol.

"Severa… I'm sorry…" Lucina spoke in a quiet voice as she walked over to the side of the white-haired girl. "Death is such a terrible thing, and I wish I could make your grief go away."

Severa didn't even respond; she just continued to stare at the graves of her parents. The only emotion she could feel was a massive wave of sadness. It didn't help that the last time she saw Cordelia alive, they had gotten into a massive argument over helping Chrom.

"I still can't believe they're… They're…" Morgan's eyes were watering, and she quickly covered her eyes with the purple sleeve of her coat.

Severa let out a wail as she grabbed Lucina by the arm.

"T-T-T-They're g-g-gone." Her voice became incredibly shaky as she buried her face into Lucina's shoulder. She simply couldn't believe it. Her mother wouldn't be there to comfort her anymore. Her father wouldn't be there to tell stories and teach her fun games.

All she had left was her sister and her friends.

"Everything's going to be alright…" Lucina attempted to soothe Severa while she gently patted her on the shoulder.

Lucina and her brother had experienced first-hand how it felt to lose their parents. They knew about the sleepless nights that occurred, where they wished that their parents would wake them up from this nightmare. They both wished that none of their friends would have to go through the pain of losing family.

Severa pulled her head away from Lucina's shoulder; the sides of her face were wet with tears.

"Thank y-you." Severa wrapped her arms around Lucina and felt the warmth of her body. It was a comforting warmth, and that only got amplified when Morgan joined the group hug.

"We should get going soon." Morgan's voice was muffled as she hugged her sister.

While the three companions were embracing, Severa's ears perked up when she heard a faint noise.

It was the sound of a harp being played.

"Do you guys hear that?" She pulled away from the group and scanned the area. Everywhere she looked, vast expanses of trees stretched into the sky.

Her eyes focused on a flash of red entering the forest. "Wait here. I need to go check something out." Severa tore off towards the forest; Lucina reached out to stop her but was too late.

"Severa! Please don't get lost!" She looked incredibly worried as Severa slipped into the forest.

When Severa emerged in the area underneath the massive trees, she quickly glanced around while the sound of a harp playing grew louder and louder. She used the sounds of the harp to guide her through the forest, and her feet crunched against the sticks on the ground.

Severa followed the noises of the harp until she found herself staring at a clearing. She panted for breath, seeing as she had sprinted the whole way to here, and exited the forest into the clearing.

She found herself on a cliff that overlooked a large stretch of land below. Grass and flowers swayed in the breeze, and her gaze was drawn to a person standing at the cliff.

The person had long, red hair, and Severa didn't even bother looking at her other details. She knew _exactly_ who this person was.

"Mother?" Severa's voice sounded as though it would shatter. Her mother looked rather translucent, but she still turned around to give her daughter a bright smile.

Severa's footsteps grew heavier and heavier as she drew closer to her mother; she felt as though she were wading through knee-high water. Her eyes blinked as she struggled to fight back tears.

"Severa… Come here…" Cordelia's voice echoed and reverberated around the immediate area.

Severa's knees buckled underneath the weight of her emotions, and she fell to the ground. She began to claw her way towards her mother. Her entire body refused to stand. She made a quiet whimpering sound as her mother walked before her.

"You must be so exhausted… Here, let me help you up..." Cordelia gently held Severa by the arms and helped her to her feet. Her smile could practically replace the sun for all Severa cared.

"I can't… I thought you were dead…" Severa buried her face into the familiar warmth of her mother's shoulder and began to sob profusely. Cordelia's hands were delicately wrapped around Severa's back, and Severa could feel her tears staining her mother's clothing.

"Severa… Whenever you feel alone… just think of your family. We'll always be here for you…" Cordelia's soothing voice only served to make Severa cry even more.

Severa just wanted to spend time with her mother again. She longed for when her mother would cradle her in front of the fireplace while her father read stories; stories of a land where death was not certain, and everyone was free to have a happy ending.

Severa just wanted her mother to wake her up from this nightmare that was her world.

Severa just wanted her mother and father back.

Cordelia embraced her daughter for what felt like an age, then drew back. "I'm sorry, but I must go…" Cordelia's image began to grow more opaque, and Severa fell to her knees.

"Please… Don't leave me again…" Severa sniffled her nose as she looked up. Her mother was floating above the ground, and was ascending toward the sky. She gave her daughter one last smile as she disappeared beyond the clouds.

"I will always love you." Cordelia's voice echoed from beyond the sky.

It was at this point that Severa began to smash her fist into the dirt while she sobbed profusely. She couldn't believe it; her mother had just been taken from her, again.

She continued to sniffle her nose as she let out a blood-curdling scream toward the sky.

"Mother!"

Odin kept a watchful eye on Selena while she snored peacefully on the ground. When she began to stir, he helped her up to her feet before she quickly exploded into sobs.

"Selena… What's wrong?" Odin asked as Selena planted her head directly into Odin's chest.

"I want my mother back! I want my father back! I want Lucina and Morgan back!" Selena simply couldn't handle seeing her mother again, even if it was just a memory. Odin was taken aback but remained still as to not upset his emotionally-volatile friend.

"Everything's going to be fine, Severa. You don't have to cry," Odin reassured her. He watched as Orochi sauntered up to the summit of the hill while a towel was wrapped around her body.

"Am I interrupting something?" She asked before readjusting her cloth covering.

"I'll be at the hot spring soon, honey. I just require five minutes, please," Odin reassured her while Selena let out a wail.

"Okay, dear," Orochi stated before walking towards the hot spring. She stopped after taking a single step, and turned her head around with a worried look. "I hope you feel better, Selena." She continued walking to the spa.

"T-Thank you." Selena stuttered while she continued to cry into Odin's shoulder.

"I miss my family and friends too," Odin gazed to the night sky while sitting motionless. "But then I remember: the friends and loved ones here are our new family."

Selena pulled her head back and made a sniffling noise as she wiped her eyes.

"It's not just that." She looked to the front entrance of the castle where Laslow and Azura were embracing. "Lately, I've been having these nightmares of Grima."

"You don't have to worry about Grima. We sealed that beast for good." Odin stated as he looked to the sky.

"I guess you're right." Selena gazed to the stars as well; her eyes were still watering. "Thanks for the moral support." She wrapped her arms around her blond friend.

"Glad to be of help," Odin stated as he hugged her back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an appointment with my wife for some spa treatment." He released Selena from his embrace as he stood up and waved to her as he walked away.

Selena rested on her back for only a single moment when a bright flash of blue filled her vision. She looked to her right to see her husband and her daughter with their Hoshidan friends. Kamui was clutched in their arms.

"What the heck happened?!" She hurriedly stood up and rushed to them. Caeldori's face was covered with dirt and bruises, while Kamui looked much, much worse.

"Long story short, Kamui broke his back and needs medical attention." Subaki was relatively calm about this, which stood in contrast to the look of panic on Caeldori.

"Mother, is he going to die?" Her voice cracked as she clutched his frail body. Selena noted that her mouth was trembling and her eyes were watering.

"No, sweetie, he won't die. We'll get him to a healer and he'll be good as new." Selena placed both of her hands on Caeldori's shoulders and gave her a reassuring smile before walking towards the infirmary. She looked at Caeldori and motioned for her to follow.

After stumbling into the infirmary, Caeldori gently placed Kamui on the bed while Sakura rushed to his side.

"D-Dear gods, what happened to him?!" Sakura gasped; Leo did as well, who stood at her side.

"He broke his back after rescuing me," Caeldori mumbled into Kamui's broken armor.

"Okay, I've treated worse. He'll live." Sakura waved her staff in the air while pieces of paper encircled Kamui as a white light enveloped him. After the light dissipated, Kamui had a noticeable lack of bruises and a smile on his resting face. Caeldori wrapped her arms around his figure, and felt the rhythmic movements of his breathing.

"Well, now that's over with," Subaki stated as he stood next to Selena in the doorway. He handed Setsuna's attire back to her before she stomped off to the main castle. Caeldori jerked her head up and looked to Hisame.

"Hisame, thank you for helping to rescue me." She smiled at him, and he smiled back before nodding. Inside, he was practically screaming in delight that she had noticed him. He followed Setsuna to the castle.

"So why did Kamui break his back?" Selena asked.

"It was a complicated series of events that honestly sound ridiculous now that I think about it. Essentially, Kamui became a dragon and was swept up by a water current, then smashed into a tree." Subaki gazed inside the white interior of the infirmary before facing his wife.

"What the…?" Selena was slightly taken aback by how ludicrous that sounded. "Good thing he's okay."

"Hey, mother and father, I'm just gonna stay here with Kamui for the night. Is that okay?" Caeldori asked as she pulled a nearby chair next to the bed Kamui rested on.

"Yes, that's positively peachy, Caeldori." Subaki smiled as he slung his arm around Selena's shoulder. The two of them walked out of the makeshift hospital and towards the main courtyard. "Now, is there anything you want to do on this fine night?"

"I really want to go to sleep." Selena yawned as she coiled her arm around Subaki's back.

"Now that's something I can agree with." Subaki gave his wife a smile that could replace the sun for all she cared.

* * *

Severa having an emotional breakdown at the sight of her deceased mother breaks my heart.


	8. Chapter Eight: The Three Trials

The Three Trials

* * *

Kamui's eyes fluttered open as memories barraged his thoughts. He remembered everything about that night when Caeldori had saved his life and smooched him in front of a campfire.

After the throbbing sensation in his head had quelled, he began to observe his surroundings. Kamui deduced he was in the infirmary, given the bleached interior and smell of despair.

Unbeknownst to Kamui, his inner thoughts were experiencing an 'internal situation', if you will. The spider that Nyx had released into his ear originally had its web wrapped nice and tight around the memory of Kamui's campground misadventure. That all changed when he collided with that poor tree that had the misfortune of a dragon smashing into it. The spider's web was destroyed due to Kamui's head being knocked around, and it had searched for another memory to ensnare, as that was its singular purpose. The spider eventually settled its web over the memory of Kamui carrying a young Caeldori on his shoulders.

Essentially, Kamui remembered nothing about meeting Caeldori when she was a child.

While Kamui was scanning the infirmary, he failed to notice that Caeldori was currently pressing her head into the blanket that covered him. She snored loudly before her head rolled onto its side and slowly opened her eyes.

Caeldori lifted herself off the bed before stretching her arms out and yawning. Her focus shifted to Kamui, who now leaned up against the bed frame.

"Oh, thank the gods you're okay!" She ensnared him with her arms in the blink of an eye, and her grip on his back was incredibly strong while she smiled. "I never got the chance to repay you for... rescuing me." Her eyes seemed to focus in on Kamui's iris', and Kamui couldn't help but stare at her beautiful, red pupils.

Kamui watched with bated breath as she pulled her head closer to his. Her eyelids closed and her head tilted itself slightly to the left. " _Here goes nothing…_ " Caeldori pushed her lips onto Kamui's as her mouth opened. She expected him to resist like last time, but instead, he parted his mouth as well.

Kamui couldn't understand why he didn't resist, although he had a sneaking suspicion that his back wasn't the only thing damaged last night. Something about Caeldori just seemed so… different.

Given that his memory of her as a child was now removed from his mind, he now had no qualms about Caeldori's romantic advances.

Kamui began to notice the tiny details on her face, such as how easy it was to get lost in her beautiful eyes. He lost his train of thought and continued to embrace her. Neither of them cared that their breath smelled like wet garbage.

Hisame, meanwhile, was in the mess hall making three sandwiches. He placed the steak he had collected onto the cutting board before unsheathing his katana. Some individuals mocked him for using a sword to cook meat, saying that it was 'unsanitary'. He never liked those people. While he gently lowered his blade onto the raw steak, his thoughts began to drift about his practice in hopes of being a Master of Arms.

He was considered by his mentor to be a master of the sword and had spent many years in his deep realm practicing with the club until he felt skilled with it. His only obstacle left was mastering how to use a spear. He understood the basics of 'stab it until it dies' well; his only problem was his muscle memory to slash at the target.

Hisame interrupted his thoughts and finished cutting the steak into three chunks. He slid the pieces off the board and into the nearby cooking pot that had a fire underneath it. He flipped the nearby hourglass and began to cut the bread.

His thoughts began to wander again as he thought of his friends. He was never that good at making friends, seeing as everyone in the nearby village at his deep realm referred to him as the 'Pickled Prince of Freaks'. Kamui and Caeldori, however, treated him with wonderful respect befitting a human, enough so that he considered Kamui as his closest friend.

Caeldori, in particular, had been the apple of his eye ever since he arrived at the castle; her beautiful looks and wonderful personality continuously reminded him why he loved her so.

Hisame noticed that the sand in the hourglass was now residing in the bottom half of the glass time-teller, which indicated that the steak was cooked. He finished slicing six slices of bread and fitted his hands into the red mitts next to the pot. He slipped a few slices of a pickle into his sandwich.

Moments later, Hisame placed the three steak sandwiches into a basket and left the mess hall. The morning fog was still residing in the air outside and the only sound Hisame could hear was the press of his footsteps against the wet grass.

Back inside the infirmary, Sakura watched with increasing discomfort as Caeldori playfully rolled onto Kamui's bed. Leo gazed on in dismay as well while he awkwardly twiddled his thumbs.

"Should we… uh, get going?" Leo turned to Sakura and noticed that her face was entirely red.

"Dear gods yes," Sakura immediately stood up and grabbed Leo's hand. She scurried out of the tent with him in tow.

The couple sprinted across the main field and collided with Hisame, seeing as all three of them had paid no attention to their surroundings.

"Ow!" Hisame exclaimed as he felt the full force of a tiny girl collide with him. He looked down to see Princess Sakura collapsed on the ground, and that Nohrian Prince, Leo, bending down to help her onto her feet.

Sakura grunted in pain as well and began rubbing her forehead as she stood up.

"I am sorry for running into you." She focused her sight on the man she just sprinted into; only after a long five seconds did she realize it was Hisame. "O-Oh, hi Hisame! How are you doing?" Her face beamed with delight at the sight of her friend's son.

"Hello, Sakura. I'm doing fine, thanks for asking." Hisame attempted to sidestep her to the infirmary, but unfortunately, she grabbed his shoulders tightly. He let out a sigh as he realized he wasn't getting out of this; Leo gave him a sympathetic smile. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine; thank you for asking." Sakura smiled with glee. "So I heard you were having problems with your parents." Her smile shifted into a worried look.

"With all due respect, I'd prefer if I kept my quarrels with them secret." Hisame sighed, then focused his eyes on the ground rather than Sakura's face.

"That's nonsense. As your godmother, I just want to know if anything is going on between you and your parents." Sakura's concerned look shifted into a more serious expression.

"Well, if you insist," Hisame inhaled sharply. "I despise my parents because they only visited me three times in the span of eighteen years." He expected that whenever he said the words 'I despise my parents' that he would feel some sense of guilt with such an extreme statement.

Instead, he felt nothing.

"B-But Hinata told me he visited your deep realm every day." Sakura was taken aback by this statement.

"That was false. My dope of a father promised he would visit every year, but only showed up whenever he remembered he had a son. I'm disgusted that I'm even related to him, or my lazy mother." Hisame rustled his shoulders until Sakura lost her grip; he began stomping to the infirmary as he clutched his basket.

"Hisame, wait!" Sakura attempted to run after her before a hand firmly held her by the shoulder and stopped her from following.

"Sakura, I'd really prefer if you didn't chase after him." Leo sighed as he looked at the departing man.

"But…" Sakura stood in place and her mind was already combing through ways to fix this predicament with Hisame and his parents.

"I've got a bad feeling about that kid. Mark my words, he's gonna cause something disastrous." Leo delicately held her hand, and she took comfort in the warmth of his fingers.

Hisame entered the tent and looked to his left to see Kamui and Caeldori. Both of them were standing up and looked very suspicious with their hands behind their backs.

"Oh, hello friends," Hisame spoke while giving them a smile.

"H-Hi, Hisame." Kamui's voice croaked as he held Caeldori's hand behind his back. He quite enjoyed the soothing feeling of her fingers. "Is there a reason why you're up so early?"

"I made you two some breakfast!" Hisame smiled as he pulled out a trio of sandwiches from his basket. He handed one to Kamui, and another to Caeldori before sitting down in nearby chair. He was mildly curious as to why Kamui and Caeldori sat down directly next to each other while smiling in an overly-enthusiastic manner, but he decided not to ask them about it.

"This tastes really good," Caeldori spoke after swallowing a bite of her sandwich. "Thank you for thinking about us."

"You're welcome." Hisame smiled and refused to stop smiling while he stared at her.

"Is there a reason why this tastes like someone cut it with a sword?" Kamui spoke while he was chewing his food.

"Don't be absurd, I used a knife." Hisame figured that it was trivial to specify the _size_ of said knife.

Two weeks later, Ryoma relaxed in the hot spring while Camilla propped her head against his shoulder. Ryoma's right arm was coiled around her smooth back.

"Can we just stay like this for the next decade or so?" He asked as Camilla smiled. The hot water from the sauna numbed his skin.

"That would be wonderful." She responded before lazily dragging her finger along Ryoma's chest. She turned her head to face him and pressed her mouth to his; his hand gently supported the back of her head. His other free hand clutched her back and was inching ever so slowly to her posterior. "Oh, getting feisty now?" She giggled with delight.

Xander, who had spent the last five minutes looking for Ryoma, walked down the hallway leading into the hot spring; his metal footsteps making a clacking sound against the slate floor. He entered the central room, and steam wafted into his eyes before he noticed the outline of Ryoma and Camilla. Xander waved his hand back and forth to dissipate the steam. He immediately regretted this as he noticed Camilla was sitting on Ryoma's lap while the top of her swimsuit was discarded and floating in the water.

Camilla heard the gagging noises coming from behind her and looked to see Xander -whose ears were blood red- covering his eyes with his arm.

"Gods dammit brother! Ryoma and I were having a moment!" Water splashed out of the large pool as Camilla stood up. She covered her bare chest with both arms, and she had a rather displeased look on her face.

"Gah! I'm so very, very, sorry! I just needed to know where Ryoma keeps his sword polish!" Xander stared at the marble floor while the redness in his cheeks had grown to cover his entire face.

"It's in the storage room of the main castle. There's a big jar that reads 'Sword polish'; you can't miss it." Ryoma stood up as well and was holding Camilla's hand tightly. He looked rather serene

"Thank you." Xander quickly sprinted out of the room, and as if on cue, Kamui entered. A towel covered his waist and below.

"What the hell does it take to get some privacy around here?!" Camilla furrowed her brow while focusing on Kamui.

"Okay, I didn't know you two were in here, so I'll just get going and…" Kamui immediately went back into the main hallway. He stopped by the changing room and donned his regular attire before stepping out into the sun-lit courtyard.

Midori seemed to be waiting for him at the entrance to the hot spring.

"Hey, Kamui, have you heard the rumors about that magic temple?" Midori asked while she stuffed various herbs and dyes into her bag.

"A magic what-now?" Kamui inquired and raised his right eyebrow.

"It's this magic temple that materializes once every century outside the Kingdom of Izumo. It just showed up a couple days ago, and there are rumors that if you pass three trials in the temple, you're granted a free wish."

"What does any of that have to do with me?" Kamui began walking away before Midori stopped him by grabbing his shoulder.

"Think about this, Kamui. You could wish for this war to be over, and for you-know-who to be destroyed!" Midori smiled as she watched Kamui's expression remain confused.

"Who's this 'you-know-who' character?" Kamui tilted his head to the side.

Midori responded by pressing her hand to her face and letting out a sigh.

"His name starts with an A, and ends with nankos." Midori's tone sounded as if she were teaching math to an infant.

Kamui immediately remembered the fact that a curse existed if one ever mentioned Anankos outside of Valla.

"Oh, gotcha." He began to think and came to the same conclusion as Midori. "You're right! Tell the others that I'm heading off with Hisame and Caeldori." Kamui waved to Midori as he walked to the main castle, where Caeldori and Hisame surely were. Midori sat down and continued to sort her collection of plants.

A large, stone ziggurat sat in the middle of the forests of Izumo. The top of the structure had a pointed tip, and it seemed to touch the sky itself. Darkness poured out of the large entrance, and general passerby stayed far away from it as a result.

Kamui entered the large, imposing temple while Caeldori and Hisame followed closely behind him. He brushed a cobweb away from his face before stepping on a mound of dust.

"This place looks like it hasn't been cleaned in years," Hisame stated the obvious. Ahead of the group was a staircase adorned with a purple carpet, which Caeldori noted that it contrasted the yellow interior quite nicely.

"Greetings, oh fair travelers!" An inexplicable voice boomed; Hisame drew his sword and leaped before Caeldori in a protective manner.

"Who said that? Where are you?" He frantically focused around the entire room in an attempt to pinpoint the source of that voice.

"Be at ease Hisame, I mean you and your friends no harm." The voice spoke. "I am the guardian deity of this sacred ground, which as you can see, you have just entered. Surely this means you seek to prove yourself in my trials?" The voice sounded rather... normal, to say the least.

"Yes, we would like to face your trials," Kamui responded while signaling for Hisame to sheathe his sword.

"Splendid. Ascend those stairs and you will find three doorways. Because your group consists of three brave individuals, you each will face one trial that is specifically crafted for you. Harm will befall you should you fail, but such is the price to receive my blessing." Torches on each side of the staircase flickered to life and emanated a yellow glow. The group began to walk up the passageway and their footsteps echoed around the interior.

At the very pinnacle of the stairs were three ornate doorways; each had a border that shifted as the ensemble got closer. "Kamui, please step into the doorway at the far left." Kamui obeyed and walked into the leftmost door. The symbol of a spider sitting atop the Hoshidan emblem adorned the border.

Inside was a single room, devoid of any lights or windows. The door slammed shut behind Kamui as gas began to fill the room.

"What the hell?!" Kamui unsheathed his sword in a panic and began pounding at the door with his fist. For all he knew, this gas was toxic.

"Do not be alarmed, this is merely the first step of the challenge." The voice stated as Kamui felt incredibly sleepy. He lied down on the stone floor and shut his eyes, then began to snore into the ground.

* * *

So the next three chapters will each be the trials of our three protagonists, which is where many of the more... unique elements to this story come into play.


	9. Chapter Nine: A Trip Down Spider Lane

A Trip Down Spider Lane

* * *

Kamui tasted the bitter tint of stone as he awoke, and he promptly lifted his head off the ground. He looked down at the stone floor he was laying atop, then looked out into the distance.

A massive void of black stretched out and consumed everything around him. The very air that he was breathing felt cold and hollow. Kamui got to his feet with a groggy moan, then jumped in shock when a voice began speaking.

"So, Garon, you wish to negotiate?" A voice called out. Kamui's ears perked up, and he scanned his surroundings in an attempt to find that voice.

"Indeed, Sumeragi. Although I see you brought your child with you." The bone-chilling voice of Garon called out. Kamui pinpointed the location of the two voices, then began sprinting through the darkness.

As he ran, the stone underneath his feet shifted into a road, and the darkness was replaced by the dim glow of the moon. Buildings rose out of the ground, and soon Kamui found himself in the city of Cheve.

Two men stood at both ends of a marble bridge. One had white and black armor with a horned helmet. Kamui noted that his hair was very similar in length to Ryoma's. The other man wore a massive black suit of armor that had a gold trim, and Kamui didn't even bother looking at his other details.

" _So there's Garon. And that's… Sumeragi?_ " Kamui felt moderately confused as to why his father was alive, and his confusion grew when he saw that Sumeragi was holding an infant with white hair. " _Hang on. That's me!_ " Kamui stumbled and broke into a sprint, but was stopped in his tracks.

A ripple waved through the air in front of Kamui as he fell onto his back, and he felt as though he had just run into a wall. Kamui stood up and placed a hand on the barrier, and dragged his hand along the invisible wall.

"I suggest waiting to see how this goes." The voice from the temple spoke. Kamui looked towards the darkened sky and realized something. He had no idea who this Temple God was.

"Why exactly are you having me watch the death of my father, and who are you?" Kamui's eyes focused on the clouds that rolled along the night sky.

"The trials are designed so that I may record how you react to certain situations. And to answer your question as to who I am, you will have to wait and see." The Temple God boomed inside Kamui's thoughts. "For now, I suggest paying attention to the back of Sumeragi's head."

Right when Kamui could feel the Temple God leaving, he looked back to the bridge and noted that Sumeragi now had his knees bent and his sword drawn.

"What?! You lied about the parley!" Sumeragi placed the young version of Kamui behind him and stood before his son.

"You honestly thought the war between our kingdoms could be stopped?" Garon's face had grown a twisted smile, and he began stomping toward the Hoshidan king. "How foolishly naive, Sumeragi. Archers!" Garon raised his right hand and pointed toward Sumeragi. "Fire!"

Kamui could only watch as a regiment of archers emerged from the shadows of a building to Sumeragi's left; their bows were drawn and poised at the sky above Sumeragi.

"Kamui! Get down!" Sumeragi let out a yell as he stood before the rain of arrows with his arms outstretched. The infant Kamui's eyes filled with fear as an uncountable number of projectiles struck his father, and his terror was raised tenfold when Sumeragi collapsed to the floor before Garon.

"Goodbye, Sumeragi. I'll tell your family of your ignorance before I kill them." Garon bent down to his knees and lifted Sumeragi's chin off the ground. He looked directly into the king's trembling eyes.

"I'll… I'll see you in _hell_ , Garon." Sumeragi gave one last, drawn-out breath, then shut his eyes. Garon dropped the king's head like a sack of vegetables, and his gaze focused on the terrified young child.

"Well, what have we here?" Garon smirked as he strode towards the young Kamui. "A lost lamb standing before the slaughter."

The child incarnation of Kamui began trembling as he fell onto his rear and started to backpedal away with his hands. He continued to shuffle away until he was stopped by the leg of a knight with gray hair.

"Garon. You're scaring the child." Gunter spoke in a surprisingly stern voice to his liege.

"You would do wise to refrain from back-talking me, Gunter." Garon unsheathed his massive ax and continued walking toward the boy, who clutched desperately to Gunter's leg. "Unless you wish to join your wife and child, of course."

Gunter bit his tongue, and his fist trembled as he stood defiantly against his mad king.

"Why kill the child when you can offer it protection?" Gunter offered the idea, and Garon stopped his walk.

" _But then I would have to…_ " Before Garon finished his thought, he remembered a certain decrepit fortress to the northeast of Windmire. " _Hmm. I could keep the brat in the fortress and use him as a bargaining chip._ Okay, Gunter. You get to watch over the pest until he comes of age."

Young Kamui blinked his tear-stricken eyes as Gunter raised him into the air with his metal-plated hands. When he opened his eyes, Garon's imposing face was directly in front of him. "Remember, boy. You are _my_ child now." His voice sounded like a guttural growl. Young Kamui let out a whimpering noise as Garon stared directly into his brown irises. Gunter responded by pressing the infant to his chest.

"Easy there, child," Gunter stated in a soothing voice as Young Kamui began to sob into his armor. "Everything's going to be just fine…"

Gunter had always wanted to raise a child, and given that his own had been killed by Garon, he considered Kamui to be his 'second chance' of sorts.

Kamui had watched this event unfold from outside the barrier, and continued to watch as the scene disappeared. A sea of darkness was left, and in the center of it laid Sumeragi's corpse; it was illuminated by a beam of light. Kamui had felt a twinge in his heart when he saw Gunter stand up to Garon, and he made a mental note to thank his retainer for sticking up for him.

While Kamui was thinking about this, a minuscule, violet spider emerged from Sumeragi's remains and began scurrying away.

"Chase that pest and reclaim your lost memories!" The Temple God spoke in a rather commanding voice, and Kamui hurriedly began chasing after the spider.

"What do you mean 'lost memories'?" Kamui asked while he focused on the arachnid. Its whole body looked like a collection of purple haze that waved as the spider's eight legs twitched along.

"One of your memories has been stolen by that bug. Chase it down and vanquish it!" Kamui's pace quickened as the spider continued its lead on him.

"Get back here, you little…!" Kamui's face donned a menacing glare as he outstretched his arms. The spider was close; so close, that he almost would've caught it if not for the massive portal he just ran into.

When Kamui emerged from the portal, he found himself outside a massive, ornate castle that sat against the moon. Rain pounded the top of his head, and the spider was nowhere to be found.

The more pressing matter, however, was that massive castle in the background. The entire building had a color scheme of white with red outlines, and the front entrance had a curved archway above it. " _That's Castle Shirasagi!_ " Kamui stepped through the soaking wet grass he stood on as he walked to the castle.

A figure shrouded with a hood was a good distance in front of Kamui and was also going toward the castle. Kamui tailed behind the cloaked person, and after a good five minutes, they were in front of the castle.

The sound of someone singing broke the silence that hung in the air. It was a voice that Kamui had heard before, and it sounded rather joyful.

The cloaked figure pressed both of their hands against the front gate of the castle and heaved the doors open. A bright light shone out of the interior and illuminated the night outside, and Kamui followed the figure inside.

" 'The dragon let out a mighty roar as the king dropped his weapon. "Rawr!" The king covered his ears and looked at the dragon. "Oh, mighty dragon. There is no need for this ceaseless violence." ' " Mikoto sat in the center of the room and was encircled by four young children. She had a book placed on her lap, and the four kids had exceptionally sleepy expressions on their face.

"My queen," The figure with the cloak removed their hood and revealed themselves to be Kaze. "I have… news." Kaze had a rather grim look in his eyes, and Mikoto's gut sank when she saw his expression.

"Okay, children. Time for bed." She spoke in a soothing voice as her youngest son stood up.

"I don't wanna go to bed!" Takumi stomped his foot and crossed his arms. Mikoto got on her knees and met his eye level.

"Takumi, dear, mommy needs to talk about your birthday gifts with Mister Kaze. You wouldn't want to spoil your birthday now, would you?" Mikoto smiled as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

"...No." Takumi looked to his side, then started walking to his room with Ryoma and his sisters. "You know I want a training yumi, right?" Takumi gazed behind him at his mother.

"Yes dear." Mikoto gave her children a bright smile as they left for their rooms. Her focus then turned to Kaze. "Kaze, what happened?" Her voice shifted entirely from soothing parent to concerned wife.

"My queen, it's about Sumeragi." Kaze's tone sounded as if he were delivering awful news. "That parley he had with Garon…"

"What went wrong?" Mikoto began to stride toward Kaze.

"It was a trap," Kaze spoke with a heavy heart and his gaze was locked on the ground. "Sumeragi… was killed."

Mikoto took a sharp intake of breath and pressed her hand over her head.

"Oh… Gods…" Mikoto fell to her knees; her hands hung above the ground like pendulums. Every inch of her wanted to scream, and she had good reason to. Sumeragi had been so loving to her, and she had loved him with every ounce of her body.

She wanted to march all the way over to Nohr and make Garon pay for taking her happiness. She wanted to end this pointless war.

But she couldn't. She was a queen, and she had to maintain her composure. Hoshido was founded on the principle of non-violence, and bloodshed would not end this suffering. Solving violence _with_ violence would only keep the conflict going, and it would teach her children nothing but hate.

The very instant Mikoto thought of her children, her mind could only focus on a single name.

Kamui.

"W-Where's Kamui?" Her eyes were glistening with tears as she looked at Kaze.

"We don't know where Kamui is. My squadron and I tried to recover him, but he was surrounded by archers. We had to flee without him." Kaze knelt down before his queen. "He could be captured, or he could be…" He refrained from saying the alternative.

Mikoto fell to the ground in a sobbing mess and began to pound the ground. She couldn't believe her little boy had been taken from her; taken by some madman in his lust for power and control.

"Kamui!" Her fist stung as it pounded into the castle floor. "Why were you taken from me? Why?" She wailed, and Kaze could feel her pain just by watching this. "My special little angel…"

Mikoto stood up and looked her ninja directly in the eye. "C-C-C-Can I please rest on your shoulder?"

"Yes, my queen." Kaze met her tear-stricken eyes and spoke in a solemn voice. Mikoto draped her arms over Kaze's sturdy shoulders and placed her head next to his neck.

"Thank you, Kaze." Mikoto could feel her tears staining the cloth of his clothing. Kaze did not feel any romantic feelings about this whatsoever, although he was pleased to discover that Mikoto considered him a close friend to depend on.

Reina entered the room and hurried to her liege.

"Mikoto... I heard everything." Reina looked exceptionally upset as she wrapped her arms around her charge. "This will all work out in the end. Everything's going to be just fine…" Her voice adopted a soothing tone.

Kamui had watched this all unfold from the sidelines, and continued to watch as the environment shifted into the familiar sea of black. Inside the expanse of emptiness was Mikoto, who was on her knees while a beam of light shone down on her.

Kamui walked over to his crying mother, bent down to meet her eye level, and wrapped his arms around her comforting frame. He assumed Mikoto couldn't see or feel him, considering she didn't react in the slightest, but that didn't stop him from comforting her.

"It's okay mother; I'm here now," Kamui spoke in a quiet tone as he hugged his mother. He was simply astounded at how much pain and suffering Garon had caused Mikoto and her family. Words could not describe the feeling of rage in his gut; rage built inside him, and all of it was directed at Garon. "I'll make Garon pay for what he did to you."

Unfortunately, Kamui was interrupted by a human-sized spider that emerged from behind Mikoto and began skittering along the ground. Kamui got to his feet and chased after the spider, which looked like a larger version of the arachnid from before.

The chase in the sea of darkness continued, and Kamui began to ask a question while he ran. "You're showing me my memories, right?" He looked directly up.

"Correct." The Temple God spoke.

"Then why did you show me that memory of my mother if I wasn't there?" Kamui felt a bright light envelop him, and he found himself next to a house that overlooked a river. The spider was nowhere to be seen.

"Because it was a memory _about_ you, Kamui. It doesn't matter if you were there to see it; it matters because it revolved around you. It shows you how much your mother cared for you and your father."

"Alright, alright," Kamui observed his surroundings and noted the vast expanse of trees to his left, and the purple spider bearing down on the little girl to his right.

Upon realizing that man-eating spiders were _not_ regular occurrences, Kamui sprinted over the girl being attacked.

"Help me! This 'pider smells really bad!" The girl shrieked, and Kamui grabbed hold of its violet body. He ripped the large spider off the girl and threw it over the cliff into the ocean below.

"Are you alright?" Kamui asked as he helped the girl to her feet. The late-day sun reflected off her red hair, and Kamui noted she looked very similar to Subaki.

"Thanks, Mister Kamui!" The girl wrapped her arms around Kamui's leg and gave him a smile. "I knew you wouldn't forget about me!"

"But who are you?" Kamui had no idea who this girl was.

"It's me, Caeldori! The girl you visited who liked you since she was sticks years old?" Caeldori tilted her head to the side and then noticed the giant shadow looming over Kamui. "Watch out! 'Pider alert!" Caeldori pointed to the space behind Kamui, and Kamui quickly turned his head to where she was pointing.

Behind him stood an absolutely massive, purple spider that was about two times taller than Caeldori's house. The spider let out a hissing noise, and its eight black eyes twitched and squirmed before it smashed one of its legs into the ground where Kamui stood.

Kamui rolled out of the way and broke into a mad dash away from the spider.

"You must slay that foul beast!" The voice from the temple spoke in a rather commanding voice.

"Oh, come on! That thing could crush me in an instant!" Kamui protested against the voice inside his head before unsheathing his blade. He watched in terror as the spider strode effortlessly along the ground and bashed Kamui with one of its legs. Kamui was sent flying and re-adjusted himself in midair as he landed on his feet. "Okay, that was a cheap shot."

"Kamui! Go for its legs! 'Piders can't walk when they don't have legs!" Caeldori had found herself a safe position on the sidelines and cheered Kamui on.

Considering his foe did use its appendages for many of its attacks, Kamui figured that Caeldori was correct. Kamui held his sword out to his right and focused all his energy on his left hand.

"This better work!" Kamui yelled as his left hand transformed into a long, sleek pillar. In the blink of an eye, he began sprinting toward the massive spider until he had reached its upper left leg.

Kamui thrusted his transmogrified hand into the leg and shook his arm in a quick manner. Purple mist poured out of the arachnid until its leg was pulled completely off by Kamui's hand. Kamui struggled to maintain his balance, given how heavy the leg was, and began to pivot his feet in a circular fashion. The leg was still attached to his hand, and now the detached appendage was slapping the spider across its disgusting face.

"Yeah! Go get 'em, Kamui!" Caeldori cheered out and giggled as she noticed the look of sadness on the spider's face.

This continued for a bit until the spider decided it had enough of being beaten by its own leg, so it promptly batted Kamui away with one of its functioning appendages.

Or, at least, it tried to swat Kamui away, because Kamui had used his free arm to grab onto the spider's upper right leg. He began to spin around the bone-like limb until he built enough speed, then released at _just_ the right moment so that he flew foot-first into the spider's maw.

The arachnid was sent reeling backward and stood on its hind legs as Kamui's foot smashed into its face, but Kamui was simply not done yet. He transformed his left hand again and plunged it into the spiders squirming mouth. He rose into the air along with the spider, and then pulled his left hand up.

Through some strange combination of gravity and inertia, Kamui was able to lift the spider off the ground and into the air above him. His hand hurt like hell due to how strained it felt, but Kamui knew he had won the fight.

Within a single motion, Kamui's head shifted into his dragon-like visage, and he slammed the spider onto its back. The ground quaked and the spider let out a foul screech as it squirmed. Kamui landed onto the spider's stomach sword-first and drove his blade through its misty flesh.

"Yay! Kamui's the best!" Caeldori screamed with delight as the spider exploded into a collection of purple mist, and Kamui was left panting for breath.

His pause would be short-lived, however, as the spider's defeat triggered a rush of previously hidden memories to become revealed.

Kamui had known Caeldori since she was a child, and the only reason he rejected her romantic advances was because of his view of her as a little girl.

"The trial is over, but you may linger if you wish." The Temple God spoke.

"Just get me outta here," Kamui said in an exhausted tone.

When Kamui awoke in the temple chamber, he had a burning question he needed to ask.

"Okay, so _what_ exactly are you, Mister temple voice." Kamui got off the ground and seated himself.

"I suppose you deserve an explanation. Very well." The Temple God spoke, then began to describe his experience. "My last memories are of myself ruling a prosperous kingdom that had lasted for eons. My life was full and well-lived, but I believe I was killed by one who called himself 'Anankos'."

Kamui's ears perked up just at the mere mention of Anankos. "After I was killed, I had most of my memories stripped off of me, and I was chained to this temple. I cannot leave, and my only purpose is to conduct trials on people who seek my blessing."

"So you're stuck in this temple and your only job is to make events for people?" Kamui cocked his head to the left.

"Correct."

"Okay." Kamui got to his feet. "Do you remember anything else?"

"Yes, I do." The Temple God spoke. "Two names. Azura and Arete. I believe they were people close to me in my past life."

Kamui's eyes widened; he wasn't sure who this Arete person was, but his mind began to race as to why this temple deity knew Azura.

He would have to think about this later, as the door to the main chamber slid open to reveal Caeldori and Hisame waiting for him.

"How was it?" Caeldori asked with a curious smile as Kamui stepped out of the chamber.

"It was very strange, and I'm still mentally digesting most of it," Kamui responded.

"Sounds like fun." Hisame's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Oh, second champion, please enter your chamber so you may be tested." Right after the Temple God finished his statement, the stone door in front of Hisame slowly creaked open.

"See you guys later," Hisame spoke as he entered the chamber, and the door shut itself behind him. Above the door was a golden archway, which depicted a tower with a clock in the center.

While Kamui and Caeldori waited, Kamui decided that he had gotten this far romantically with Caeldori, so to reject her feelings now would surely crush her heart.

Which is something he desperately wanted to avoid doing, so he wrapped his fingers around her warm hand.

* * *

Well, at least the stupidity of the pirate chapter is gone, and the Temple God got some explanation, so I'm pretty pleased with this rewrite.


	10. Chapter Ten: Twenty Years

Twenty Years

Author's note: I **strongly** recommend listening to the _MOTHER 3 Love Theme_ from _Mother 3_ when Caeldori says, "Hisame, what's wrong?"

* * *

Hisame opened his eyes as sunlight relentlessly shone down on him, which nearly blinded him. He felt blades of grass rub against his back and arms, and he realized he was laying down in a peaceful meadow.

" _Where am I?_ " He asked as he stood up and looked around. To his left, he could see an ordinary hole in the ground with some purple… gas seeping out of it, and to his right were some trees set against the sun.

Upon closer examination, he remembered that mysterious violet holes in the ground were not normal, so he began to investigate it. Strong winds buffeted the saggy cloth of his armor while he walked to the purple crater. He leaned over it, stared deep into the swirling abyss of violet, and a voice echoed out of it.

"Ah!" The yell was quiet at first. It was barely inaudible from the tweeting of birds and the wind howling, but its volume rose as the seconds passed until Hisame swore it sounded familiar.

As if on cue, Caeldori tumbled around in the hole, and flew out of the crater directly into Hisame's arms. This knocked him onto his back with a thud. "Hisame! Help me!" Tears streaked her eyes as she pressed her head into his chest; her arms were wrapped around his back in an embrace. He held her tightly as well and watched out of the corner of his eye as red mist began to pour out of the hole.

The foamy substance built itself up into a humanoid form until it resembled someone Hisame knew all too well: Subaki.

"Not on my watch!" Caeldori's father was absolutely massive; his torso alone towered over them as it poked out from the hole. Hisame took a stand against the massive knight while Caeldori hid behind him in fear.

"Subaki, what do you want?" Hisame asked; his voice was not full of anger, but rather normalcy.

"You're unfit to be her husband!" Subaki responded while slamming his hand into the ground. His arm shifted into red mist before seeping its way around Caeldori's ankles, then shifted again into a rope. Caeldori fell onto the ground and Hisame could only stare in disbelief as she was dragged towards Subaki.

"Help!" She screamed as she clawed at the ground in an attempt to hold onto something. Hisame ran after her before reaching out his hand. She grabbed it tightly while fear was in her eyes. Subaki flared his nostrils and snorted; puffs of steam emanated from his nose while he dragged Caeldori along.

Caeldori was yanked further towards the hole as Hisame was dragged along. He dug his boots into the ground, but to no avail as he was still pulled. Subaki disappeared into the vortex before Hisame was brought to the very edge of it. Caeldori still had the rope around her leg and was suspended above the hole by Hisame's hand.

Another red tendril seeped its way out of the purple crater and wrapped itself around Hisame's knee before making itself taut, which yanked Hisame into the hole. All he could see -besides Caeldori- were lavender swirls that rotated in a circular fashion. In a panic, he released Caeldori from his grip and watched as she fell further and further into the swirling purple.

"No!" He exclaimed while he outstretched his arm. Caeldori fell at a faster rate than he did, so he was forced to watch as she tumbled into the white center of the vortex. She disappeared into the bright core, which Hisame was about to reach. He shielded his eyes and braced for impact as he fell into the center.

A feeling of numbness overcame him.

Hisame opened his eyes and hurriedly stood up. He glanced around at the glade of sakura trees that had their color accentuated by the sunlight.

"Help!" A shrill voice called out. Hisame's ears perked up and he turned around to see Subaki -who was now the average size of a human- entering the base of a Hoshidan tower. His left hand was wrapped around Caeldori's neck as he dragged her along into the dark recesses of the tower.

Hisame broke into a sprint after Subaki while blades of grass were kicked up by his feet. When he got to the entrance of the tower, he doubled over and panted for breath before a smoke burst from the ground. After the puffs of steam dissipated, Kamui stood in its wake.

"Hey, Hisame." Kamui had materialized against the wall of the tower and leaned against it. "Let me share some advice with you."

"Al...Alright…" Hisame wheezed for air as he looked up to Kamui.

"Duplicates have a hard time recreating everything. They'll often mess up on _one_ detail, and that's the indicator of who's real and who's fake." Kamui sounded as if he were teaching basic math, which was at complete odds to how cryptic his hint was.

"O..kay…?" Hisame raised his eyebrow before waving to Kamui. He stepped into the tower and looked around. He was currently standing on a tiled floor that contained orange tiles and green tiles. Unlit torches lined the walls, which Hisame could only see the general outline of, due to the darkness of the circular room.

Suddenly, the torches crackled to life, and the darkness of the room was lifted to reveal Caeldori, who sat against the wall with her hands tied.

"Hisame! It's a trap!" Caeldori spoke in a panicked voice as she looked to the space behind Hisame. Hisame whipped his head around just in time to see a pair of hands wrap around his neck.

Hisame struggled for breath as an unknown assailant's fingers strained his breathing. He had never experienced something this painful, and he felt his hands go numb. He began to cough furiously and desperately fought back against the hands with his own. Hisame ripped the fingers off his neck and sprinted to the wall next to Caeldori.

Subaki stood in the middle of the room with a polished, glimmering spear brandished in his left hand.

"Why do you bother struggling?" Subaki had an incredibly menacing scowl on his face as he strode toward Hisame. "All you're accomplishing is the prolonging of your death." Hisame rubbed his throat with his right hand.

"I'm… I'm gonna..." His voice sounded as coarse as a desert. His fingers were balled-up.

"Can you speak up?" Subaki leaned over the boy and had a smirk on his face. "Oh, I forgot. I crushed your pathetic throat. A pity nobody will get to hear you whin-"

"I'm going to send you straight to _hell!_ " Hisame's voice now sounded rather normal, save for the seething contempt for Subaki that dripped out of his every syllable.

Before Subaki could even react, Hisame swung his clenched fist directly into his gut. Subaki doubled over in pain, and Hisame followed through with a kick directly into Subaki's groin.

Subaki let out a howl of pain as he fell to the floor. His arms sprawled out across the tiled surface as Hisame leaned over him. "Beg for your life." The only emotion that Hisame's glare conveyed was anger. Pure, never-ending, rage.

"Excuse me?" Subaki looked up at the man, then felt a pair of hands tightly wrap around his neck.

"I want to hear you beg for mercy!" Hisame screamed in his ear.

"You'll... have to pry that plea from my dead hands." Subaki wheezed the words out and grew another smirk on his face, which was completely unbefitting of a man being strangled.

Suddenly, duplicates of Subaki began to emerge from him and dance around the room. Hisame quickly noted that each of the duplicates had a mirror image of Subaki's hair. To put it in simpler terms, the original Subaki had a tuft of hair that jutted out to his left in an L shape. All the duplicates had a tuft of hair that jutted out to their _right_ instead. "Have fun with my clon-"

Hisame decided that he was simply _done_ with Subaki's complicated attacks and smashed his fist into Subaki's skull. Hisame slammed his fist into Subaki's face again, and again, and again. He continued to pummel Subaki until all of his clones had disappeared.

Subaki wheezed for breath as Hisame removed his fingers from around the knight's neck and stood upright. Subaki's nose was now receding into his skull. "That's… not fair..." He gasped, and his outstretched arm as desperately trying to grab his spear.

Hisame walked over to the spear, lifted it off the ground, and angled it above Subaki's chest.

"You want to know what's unfair?," Hisame asked in an absolutely hateful voice that resembled an animal rather than a human. "Having the love of your life ripped away from you by some insane pegasus knight."

"You're still unfit to court he-"

Before Subaki could state his comment, Hisame plunged the spear into Subaki's chest. Subaki shot upright, then Hisame watched as his eyes slowly closed. Subaki's corpse was left sitting in the middle of the floor. Hisame took a minute to catch his breath then walked over to Caeldori.

Hisame untied the ropes around her wrists and helped her to her feet. She promptly responded by leaping into his arms like a bride.

"Thank you for rescuing me," Caeldori spoke, then pressed her lips to Hisame's. Her tongue coiled and toyed with his own while his hands combed through her messy hair.

Hisame couldn't believe this was happening, but that didn't stop him from holding Caeldori. He had finally gotten the girl of his dreams.

"The trial is over, but you may linger if you desire. Speak to me when you are ready to depart." The voice from the temple boomed inside Hisame's thoughts. Hisame figured he wouldn't be contacting the voice anytime soon, so he began to walk out of the tower with Caeldori in his arms.

And he was absolutely right.

Hisame's boots made a squishing sound as they smushed against the soggy dirt path to the house on top of a hill. Rain cascaded the top of his head as he walked up the path. He held a fishing rod in one hand, and he used his other to tightly hold onto the hand of his daughter. Yesterday had been a long day at his occupation of teaching Hoshidan youths how to use a naginata, so he was happy that he could spend today with his daughter.

"Daddy, can I jump in that puddle?" Shigeki's voice was high-pitched and sounded as adorable as a mewing kitten. She wore a tiny yellow sundress, and she tightly held onto the fabric of Hisame's grey robes.

"Sure, Shigeki. Just don't tell your mother that I said it was fine." Hisame gave his daughter a beautiful smile as he let go of her hand. She excitedly ran toward a nearby pond while giggling, then began sloshing her boots in the murky water. Her red pig-tails flapped in the breeze while she continued to laugh.

After Shigeki was done playing in the puddle, she joined her father and the two continued up the hill. Atop the slope was a house that looked rather cozy, and it was set against the rumbling storm clouds above.

A lone figure stood in the doorway of the house; she wore a white robe that stuck out due to her child-bearing stomach, and her red hair almost touched the ground. Hisame noted that her elegant looks had not changed at all, no matter the small amount of wrinkles she had on her face.

"Mommy! We're home!" Shigeki gave her mother a bright smile as she ran up the hill and directly into her mother's embrace.

"Hello, Shigeki. How was your fishing trip with your father?" Caeldori asked her daughter, who had become one of the main sources of joy of her life in recent years.

"It was great! I caught a fish that was this big!" Shigeki stepped back from her mother and had her hands outstretched; she was mimicking the size of the trout she had caught. "I wanted to catch more, but then we had to go because it started raining..."

"I'm sorry to hear about that." Caeldori's gaze went from her daughter to her husband, who had surmounted the hill. "Ah, there you are." Caeldori's smile got even brighter when she looked at her other source of happiness.

"Hello, sweetie. I got you a present." Hisame smiled as he fidgeted with the back pocket of his clothing. He pulled a miniature velvet box and handed it to Caeldori.

Caeldori opened the box and was delighted to find a necklace adorned with garnets inside. "Happy fifteenth anniversary, dear." Hisame noticed that Caeldori's eyes widened when she lifted the necklace out of the container.

"It's perfect!" Caeldori placed the necklace on her neck, then approached her husband. The two embraced, and Hisame relished in the comforting warmth of her presence. Caeldori had loved the last twenty years with Hisame, and she was certain that sentiment was shared with him.

"I knew you would like it," Hisame spoke in a soothing voice into her ear.

"Thank you," Caeldori responded back before pressing her lips to Hisame's. The two kissed passionately for what Hisame perceived as an eternity until Shigeki opened the door to their house and stepped inside. "We should probably follow her." Only now did Hisame notice that it was still pouring outside.

Hisame led his wife inside their house and placed the wooden basket he had been carrying on the table. The inside of their house consisted of a dining room/living room that was connected to the master bedroom, and Shigeki's room. Hisame had made the house based on the perfect conditions to raise his perfect family.

Inside the basket was a week's worth of fish and other food he had purchased. Caeldori grabbed a fish out of the basket and began to prepare dinner with the help of her loving husband.

After all, they were expecting a guest tonight.

"That fish tasted great," Kamui stated as he placed his silverware next to his empty plate. He sat opposite Hisame at the table, who sat next to Caeldori and Shigeki, and he wore a black shirt with the Hoshidan emblem sewn into it. He looked like he hadn't aged a single day.

"Yeah, what Uncle Kamui said!" Shigeki had to stand up to reach the table, considering she was six-years-old. Kamui had been a close friend of Hisame and Caeldori for twenty years, and every month he made sure to check in on the two.

Caeldori smiled at her daughter then looked to Kamui.

"So, Kamui, after dinner do you wish to go out to town with Hisame and me?" Caeldori asked.

"I would love to; it's always nice spending time with you two." Kamui smiled at Caeldori, then to Hisame, who smiled back.

"Great, so we'll leave in-" Before Hisame could finish speaking, a voice that he hadn't heard for twenty years spoke in his mind.

"Hisame, I am sorry to say this, but I simply cannot maintain this realm any longer. I have placed an exit back to the real world outside your house. You have an hour to leave." The Temple God's voice was loud and served as a reminder to Hisame. A reminder that this perfect family he and Caeldori had made was nothing but an illusion. A reminder that Shigeki, his daughter who was the light of his life, did not exist.

A reminder that in the real world, he was a lonely young adult that hated his parents and couldn't confess to the girl of his dreams.

" _Oh, gods…_ " Hisame thought. He knew this day would come, but nothing could have prepared him for this numbing wave of regret that consumed him. " _Caeldori still has to deliver our second child…_ I… I have to go outside for a minute." Hisame's lower lip quivered as he hurriedly stood up and went outside through the front door.

"Hisame, what's wrong?" He could hear Caeldori's soothing voice echo from outside the house as he stood atop the hill. At the very bottom of the hill was a swirling mass of purple mist; the very same mist that had brought him to the tower where Subaki had kidnapped Caeldori twenty years ago. Hisame shielded his eyes from the setting sun, then sat down at the entrance to his house. He simply wasn't ready to leave his family; the family that he had always wanted.

Caeldori emerged from the doorway and was followed by Kamui. "Are you alright?" She spoke in a worried tone.

Hisame responded by looking sullenly at his wife and friend before shifting his focus back to the purple hole.

"I... I have to leave." Hisame's voice sounded like he was on the edge of having an emotional breakdown; he was indeed nearing that point.

"Hisame, what are you saying?" Caeldori stood behind her husband while her worried expression continued to grow.

"These twenty years we spent… This was all part of the trial. We only had them because I chose not to leave." Hisame began to wipe his eyes with his sleeve. " _I don't want to go._ " That thought endlessly repeated itself inside his thoughts. Hisame watched as Caeldori sat at his side, and placed her head on his shoulder. He always loved the comforting glow from her body.

"So you have to go back to the world you came from?" Caeldori asked as her hands wrapped around her husband's arm.

"Yes. The world where we're not together. The world where I'm nothing more than an angry child." Hisame slowly placed his hand on his wife's shoulder.

"That's…" Caeldori sniffled her nose. She desperately didn't want Hisame to depart, and a thin layer of water began to form in her eyes. "Oh, Hisame."

Hisame held his wife against his chest while they both sobbed. "Please... don't go..." He couldn't bear the thought of not being able to comfort her like this.

As if on cue, Shigeki burst through the entrance of their house after Hisame spoke. Her eyes were soaked with tears.

"Daddy, don't go!" Shigeki threw herself into her parent's embrace. She crawled onto her father's lap and continued to sob profusely. "Don't leave me and mommy!"

"Shigeki, dear…" Hisame sniffled his nose, and Caeldori tried her best to soothe her crying daughter. "Please dry your eyes."

"No! You can't go!" Shigeki clenched onto her father's clothing with her tiny hands; her tears were staining the fabric of his robe.

Hisame couldn't bear to leave his daughter like this. He knew he had to sing that song; the song he had sung when she first came into their lives.

(The following song is set to the tune of _Sadness and Happiness_ from _Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door_.)

"Dear sweet child oh pl~ease." Hisame began to sing in a surprisingly beautiful voice. "Dear sweet child oh please, dry your eyes, please, love, dry your eyes, for, me, dear." Hisame cradled his daughter slowly in a back-and-forth motion. "Dry your eyes so we can all see your beau~ti~ful smi~le."

Shigeki's eyes began to close, and her sniffling came to a stop. Hisame's voice quivered.

"Please dear dry your eyes so we, can, all see." Hisame rocked his child to sleep. "Your beau~ti~ful smile that bright~ens up, my, day."

Shigeki had fallen into a slumber and was now snoring peacefully as Caeldori's lower lip trembled.

"I know that you have to go, but..." Caeldori lifted Shigeki out of Hisame's lap and hugged her husband. Somewhere deep inside her, she knew this is the last time they would be together. "I will always love you." Her voice sank completely as her hands shook.

"I will always love you _too_ , dear." Hisame kissed his wife on the forehead, then stood up.

Only after soothing his crying family did Hisame realized that his heart had broken.

Kamui was waiting behind him.

"I'm sorry that you have to go, Hisame." He spoke in a tender voice, and Hisame could see that his eyes were watering. "But no matter which world you're in..., I will always be there f-f-f-" Kamui choked on the last few words and began to cry.

"Come here, friend." Hisame spread his arms apart and hugged Kamui. Hisame knew that he will always remember how much of a great friend Kamui was. The two began to cry as the sun shone in the distance.

Hisame walked to his daughter and kissed her on the forehead. "Goodbye, Shigeki." His breathing became sporadic and 'funny' for a moment as he cradled his daughter. "I will always remember you."

Caeldori's eyes continued to water as Hisame placed Shigeki in her trembling arms. "Goodbye, Caeldori."

Caeldori propped her daughter on her left arm, and used her other arm to hug her loving husband.

"G-G-Goodbye, Hisame."

Her mouth quivered as their embrace ended. Hisame began to walk down the hill until he stood before the purple, swirling vortex.

He turned around and waved at Caeldori with a longing stare. Tears rolled down Caeldori's cheeks as she waved back, then watched as her husband stepped into the hole.

A feeling of numbness overcame Hisame as he fell through the vortex.

Kamui watched with anticipation as the door to Hisame's chamber opened. He expected Hisame to strut out in an energetic manner, considering that he must have cleared his trial. What Kamui didn't expect were the noises that echoed out of the chamber.

It was the sound of Hisame crying.

"Wait here." Kamui looked at Caeldori briefly before hurrying into the chamber. Inside the dusty room was Hisame, who was curled into a fetal position in the center of the area.

His sobbings grew more frequent and with shorter pauses in between as seconds passed. Kamui looked to the ground and noted the large puddle of tears that had formed around Hisame's head. "Hisame?" Kamui asked; the sincerity in his voice was incredibly obvious.

Hisame raised his head slightly and looked to Kamui with his glistening irises. He then pressed his head back to the ground and resumed sobbing. "What happened in your trial?" Kamui walked over to his friend and squatted down beside him.

"I d-d-don't want to talk about it." Hisame's voice was almost inaudible from the sounds of him sniffling. Kamui delicately placed his hand on Hisame's quaking shoulder.

"It's okay, Hisame. Everything's going to be fine. I'm here for you, and Caeldori's here for yo-"

It was at the mere mention of Caeldori's name that Hisame shot upright, let out a prolonged wail, then slumped into an upright sitting position. Kamui's heart skipped a beat, due to how unexpected that was, but he quickly resumed in comforting his friend.

After a short five minutes, Caeldori watched with anticipation as Kamui exited from the chamber with Hisame desperately holding onto his arm.

"Hisame, is everything okay?" She asked in a concerned voice while Kamui helped him across the room.

"Yeah… Everything is… fine." Hisame couldn't even handle making eye contact with her because it would shatter his already broken heart into even tinier pieces.

"Oh third champion, please enter your chamber and face your trial." The voice stated.

Caeldori assumed that she was the third champion, and stepped into the now open door. The border above the door depicted an ornate mask supported by a pair of wings.

While Kamui and Hisame waited outside, Hisame rested his shaking head on Kamui's shoulder.

"Thank you for everything." Hisame's voice was muffled through the metallic braces of Kamui's armor, but Kamui still received the message.

"That's what friends are for, right?" Kamui smiled to his friend then looked back at the door Caeldori had entered.

The Temple God neglected to mention one crucial fact about Caeldori's trial. He had not created this trial for Caeldori based on her mind. Rather, he was going to send her back in time to a different world.

A world ripped apart by a certain divine dragon.

* * *

Well, now I feel really bad for Hisame.

Mission accomplished, I guess.


	11. Chapter Eleven: The King of Nothing

The King of Nothing

Author's note: I recommend listening to the song _L'Oscuritá dell'Ignoto_ from _Dream Drop Distance_ when the Cloaked Woman cracks her neck from side-to-side.

* * *

Caeldori's eyes fluttered open as she felt grunge seep between her fingers. She stood up and wiped the dirt off her clothing, then looked to her left, where a crimson sun sat against a mountain range. Directly behind her stood an expanse of wilted trees and bushes.

"Let me go!" A very distinct, almost grating voice rang out. Caeldori's ears perked up, and she hurriedly gazed to her right to see someone who looked startlingly similar to her mother save for her white hair. She was currently tied to a wooden pole and encircled by some sort of group.

As she studied the ensemble closer, she saw that each member of this gang was wearing scarlet robes, and each garment was adorned with the pattern of six eyes.

"Quiet, wench! Our lord will be here soon..." One gruff voice spoke. Caeldori assumed she should wait and watch what occurs, so she dove behind a nearby tree and hid behind its large frame. She poked her head out and watched the events unfold.

"Hey!" A voice called out from the distance. "Leave her alone!" Everyone -including Caeldori- turned their heads to see two figures advancing. One had long, blue hair with an ornate sword, while the other had short, red hair and donned a black cloak with a purple trim.

"Stop the interlopers!" The same low voice called out and revealed itself to be the tallest member of the bunch. Before Caeldori could even blink, the entire circle was running towards the two women and shouting in a foreign tongue as they pulled scrolls from their cloaks.

She leaned back behind the tree and watched as a tumbleweed rolled by. Caeldori wasn't sure whether to blindly charge in there and rescue that captive woman -who she wasn't sure was either her mother or an estranged family member- or wait it out.

Right after she made her decision she noticed the two people from before were now standing atop a mound of motionless cultists. They paused to catch their breaths, then began advancing towards the captive. They both had bright smiles on their faces, which was jarring considering they had just killed an entire group of cultists.

"Severa! Oh, thank the gods you're okay!" The red-haired girl with the cloak had her arms outstretched as she ran to the pole. She hurriedly untied the rope that held the woman and wrapped her hands around her frame in an embrace. "I couldn't bear to leave my sister!"

" _Her name is Severa?_ " Caeldori continued to watch from afar.

"Morgan, I told you not to follow me!" Severa attempted to break free of her sister's grip.

" _Mother said her sister's name was Morgan._ " Caeldori's eyes widened. " _So that really is mother. Did that voice in the temple just send me back in time?_ " Her eyes widened.

"Well, we weren't just going to stand by while you were sacrificed." The blue-haired lady responded while sheathing her sword.

Severa took a long pause, then gazed longingly at the blue-haired woman.

"Thank you, Lucina." She stated in an uncharacteristically tender voice.

Thunder boomed in the distance as the ground began to tremble.

"I don't like the sound of that..." Morgan's voice nosedived into a panic. Her eyes were wide with fear as she watched the sky itself grow dark and twisted; it blocked all rays of light from the crimson sun. "We need to leave, now." Morgan tugged at her sister's arm in a desperate attempt to flee.

Severa remained adamant; her limbs were stiff and refusing to budge.

A puff of purple mist exploded in front of the group and dissipated while everyone coughed.

"Well, look what we have here." A man revealed himself as the smoke dissipated. His hair was as white as Severa's and he wore a cloak identical to Morgan's. He paused, and his eyes shifted over the three trouble-makers as he waited for someone to say something. "Really? This is the greeting I get from my _daughters_?"Caeldori could tell he put extra emphasis on the words 'daughters'.

" _Daughters?! Does that mean... That's my grandfather!?_ " Caeldori's eyes widened, again, as she leaned from behind the tree.

"My father died when you possessed him, Grima." Severa flared her nostrils as her fists clenched; her tone was practically dripping with contempt.

Grima let out a deep, bellowing laugh while a crazed look flashed in his eyes.

"How rude of you to say something so hurtful. My heart is _shattered_ , honestly." He snapped his fingers as thunder crackled in the skies above. "I'm afraid, however, that I have to _cut_ this family reunion short."

An ear-piercing boom from the skies prompted Caeldori to look up; her attention focused on a figure falling from the sky.

The mysterious entity landed on the ground in a crouched position, with their feet wide apart and one hand on the floor while another hand was outstretched away. Cracks seeped through the ground as Severa jumped backward; the very landscape she stood on was disbanding. Caeldori examined the new opponent from afar.

Firstly, she could determine that this figure was female, judging by her stature and demeanor. The only other detail that caught Caeldori's eye was her cloak, which was identical to the one Morgan and Severa's father wore. The hood of said cloak was pulled up and concealing the assailant's face, save for a pair of luminescent, red eyes that pierced through the darkness of her veil.

"Severa, we need to go." Lucina placed her hand on her shoulder. A look of urgency was in her eyes.

Severa responded by backing away from the mysterious figure while nervously glancing left and right. The hooded adversary followed her every step and was completely silent as the sound of her cloth boots stomped against the ravine floor.

Morgan hurriedly grabbed her tome from her pocket and began flipping through the burnt pages.

"Don't come any closer, or I'll… I'll…" Her voice croaked; the Cloaked Woman continued her advance.

Lucina yelled as she threw a medium-sized rock at the figure. The woman caught it mid-throw and shifted her gaze to the stone. She clenched her fingers, and the rock crumbled to dust in her palm.

She was not paying attention to Morgan, however, who set her tome aflame, pulled her arm back, and hurled the flaming book at the figure. The Cloaked Woman was knocked backward by the burning tome and landed on her back with a thud.

The trio took this opportunity to sprint in the opposite direction; their feet kicked up dust clouds behind them while they ran.

"Your challenge is to fight his champion." The Temple God's voice rumbled within her thoughts. "Go, now."

Caeldori stepped out from behind the tree and began to slowly walk towards her supposed grandfather, who leaned over his 'champion' with a look of pure malice.

"Of course, you let those three escape." Grima covered his head with his hand in a contemptuous manner. "For crying out loud, you could've killed them right there, but no~o~o~o. Apparently, you thought it was necessary to intimidate them. I don't even know why I bothered rescuin-"

His sight changed from the Cloaked Woman to the advancing girl, who seemed to have watched the events unfold. "Hm, what do we have here...?" He sheathed his sword while staring at Caeldori. "Today might not be a loss after all."

The Cloaked Woman turned her head to Caeldori before standing up and brushing the dust off her clothing. Her red eyes glared at her through the darkness of her veil. "Kill the girl, and you can continue to serve me." The white-haired man stated before raising into the air. He wasn't floating with the help of wings; he seemed to be supporting himself with the help of a cyan tome in his hands.

The Cloaked Woman cracked her neck from side-to-side; the ground quaked with each motion. She raised her hands to the sky, while a large purple circle containing the symbol of six eyes formed around her arms. She angled her hands forward, and the rings floated a good distance away while enlarging.

Two horses sprinted out of the rings toward Caeldori and the Cloaked Woman. One of them had an orange coloration, while its mane and tail were replaced with a burning fire. The flaming horse galloped to Caeldori's side, while she inspected the other one. It had a purple tint to its body, while its mane and tail were bright lights that rapidly changed color. Caeldori recognized it as the lights that appeared in the sky near the Ice Tribe.

Grima smirked as he watched his champion clamber onto her steed. "Let's have a race, shall we?"

"Why?" Caeldori asked as she climbed into the saddle of her flaming horse. She expected to feel a burning sensation, but instead, it felt rather comfortable. Toasty, even.

Caeldori failed to notice that a name was etched onto the saddle. Belfire. She did, however, notice that the word 'Aurora' was inscribed onto the saddle of her opponent's steed.

"Because if you two are going to fight to the death, let's at least make it entertaining," Grima spoke as he pulled a deep-red tome out of his pocket. "On your mark…"

The Cloaked Woman hunched her back and snarled at Caeldori. "Get set…" Grima was on the metaphorical edge of his metaphorical seat.

Caeldori gripped the reins of her steed tightly. While she wasn't looking, Grima sent a fireball towards her back. "Go!" He yelled as the fireball landed directly behind Caeldori. He had miscalculated his aim.

The two horses began galloping along the edge of the canyon while Grima floated after them. Wind lashed at Caeldori's face as she locked eyes with the Cloaked Woman. Her red eyes stared back, then settled on the massive boulder that was falling from the sky.

"What the?!" Caeldori took a sharp right and veered away from the massive rock.

"Oops, did I do that?" Grima's tone made Caeldori even more annoyed as he continued to summon more rocks. The sound of hooves pressing against the ground was drowned out by the noise of boulders striking the earth.

Caeldori weaved her way around the falling rocks until the onslaught stopped, and a bright flash of purple appeared before her. "Let's make this even _more_ interesting…" Grima smirked as he floated in front of Caeldori and the Cloaked Woman, who was nipping at Caeldori's heels. He glided into the violet haze, and Caeldori followed him while shutting her eyes.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself in a vast forest. Trees were in every direction, and behind her was a massive red tear in the ground. The fissure stretched out into the distance while molten lava poured out of it.

Now was not the time to stop and smell the burning roses, though, as her opponent emerged from the purple mist. She and Caeldori were neck and neck as they raced along the forest.

Grima drifted back into view and rose his arms while muttering an incantation.

Purple hands burst from the ground and clawed their way to the top. Caeldori swerved her horse away from the shambling people as Grima laughed. "Here come the spectators!"

One of the undead individuals leaped onto Caeldori's steed and began to claw at her feet while gurgling. Caeldori jerked her foot directly into its head and threw the reanimated corpse off her steed.

Her gaze shifted to her opponent, who rode through the sea of corpses effortlessly. None of the undead attacked the Cloaked Woman, and Caeldori swore that she saw some of them get to their knees and bow.

The two racers continued along the forest, tore through a pair of fortresses, and then found themselves charging headlong across a plateau. The crimson sun continued to bear down on them, but Caeldori's attention was drawn to something in the distance.

To her left stood a seemingly endless sea of fire that strained her eyes just by looking at it. Across the ocean of flame was a massive figure that floated above the ground. Caeldori could only see the shadowy outline, but she could discern that it had six wings, horns, and a noticeable lack of legs.

"Ah, yes, seems you've met my Dragon Form." Grima floated down next to Caeldori and spoke in a strangely normal voice. She wasn't sure how Grima was able to keep pace with her galloping horse, but she had a myriad of other questions that she wanted to ask. "I think I should put a sign here that says: 'Me'."

The massive dragon turned its head and locked eyes with Caeldori. She felt incredibly discomforted by its six, beady eyes. Grima's Dragon let out a massive roar that caused the very ground to rumble.

Grima floated ahead into another purple void, and Caeldori shielded her eyes as she entered the rift.

The entire area was pitch-black, save for a luminescent light source at her horse's feet. Caeldori gazed down and noticed that the road was floating high above the ground, and constructed with multicolor tiles that flashed different colors of the rainbow.

" _What is this place?_ " She thought before Grima floated back into view.

"Welcome... to Prism Pathway!" He spoke in an exuberant voice as he raised his arms to the moon above. The road began to shake, then it started to plummet towards the land below. "Oh, looks like the Excalibur spell keeping this place afloat has worn out. Try not to die, alright?"

Belfire's hooves clacked against the metallic texture of the road while Caeldori gripped her reins tightly. The Cloaked Woman was directly behind her; Caeldori assumed as much because there was a blinding light at her back.

The two were approaching a massive hole in the path, due to the plates being wrenched away from each other. Caeldori's steed leaped over the gap, sailed through the air, and landed on the other side without stopping its sprint. Her opponent did the same maneuver and was now at Caeldori's side.

Caeldori glanced to her foe, then back to the road where she noticed that she was approaching a massive hole in the ground, with no other side to jump on. Grima waited at the hole and waved a large checkered flag, while that dung-eating smirk was still plastered on his face.

Caeldori leaped off the edge of the road, and her steed sank towards the ground below. Her opponent followed after her, off the ledge, and was falling through the air.

She let out a scream as the ground grew closer and closer. She closed her eyes and brought her hands to her face as she braced for impact.

After five seconds of waiting, Caeldori slowly opened her eyes and discovered that she had not died. Rather, her horse had sprouted flaming wings and was now slowly descending to the floor. She stepped off her steed and onto the ground, then patted it on the head while it neighed. After she was done petting it, the pegasus flew off into the sun; it was followed by Aurora as well.

Caeldori had failed to notice that Aurora had bucked its passenger off, and the Cloaked Woman had fallen a great distance before hitting the floor. She had lost the race, after all.

When Caeldori noticed the purple pegasus, she quickly turned her head around and saw her opponent, who laid face-down in the dirt while she moaned. Caeldori walked over to her foe and slowly pulled her hood back.

Long, red strands of hair spilled out of the hood as the Cloaked Woman raised her head. She had a dazed look in her eyes, and fragments of a broken mask were attached to her head.

"Wh-... Where am I?" The woman spoke as she slowly got to her feet. Caeldori noticed that the other fragments of a mask were strewn across the ground where the Cloaked Woman was.

"I don't know where we are. Who are you?" Caeldori helped the woman stand up after she doubled over again.

"My name is Cordelia." After the woman spoke, Caeldori's eyes widened. "Judging by our surroundings… I'd say that we are currently at Breakneck Pass." Cordelia gazed out at the vast canyon, then looked down to her clothing. "Wait, this is Robin's cloa-"

Before she could finish speaking, Grima descended from the sky while clapping in a slow manner. "Robin?!" Her heart skipped a beat.

"Congratulations. You beat my champion, and broke the curse I put her in." The sarcasm in his voice was almost palpable. "Now call your temple friend and leave."

"How did you know about the-" Caeldori started to speak, and she noted that her hands were turning translucent.

"He is inhibiting my ability to keep you rooted in this timeline. You must leave, now." The Temple God spoke; Caeldori detected a hint of fear in its voice. Her entire body began to turn more translucent until she was gone.

"Insolent lesser beings, meddling in my affairs…" Grima muttered curses underneath his breath while scowling. "Now… Where were we?" His gaze focused on Cordelia, who was attempting to run in the opposite direction.

" _Curse these damn legs!_ " She panted for breath as she stumbled and fell to the dirt floor.

A firm, cold hand grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Oh, gods have mercy." Her eyes widened with fear as Grima held her by her back.

"Trying to run away from our date tonight? For shame, Cordelia. For shame." He half smiled/half glared at her as he pressed her into his chest; her hands struggled to push him away. "But first, I found a beautiful piece of apparel for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an ornate mask. Cordelia's eyes widened with fear. She had seen that mask before; it was the last thing she had seen after her defeat in that battle.

"No! Don't!" She cried out as Grima began to bring the mask toward her head. Cordelia struggled to break free from his grip. She grabbed the mask and tried to push it away from her face, but Grima was simply too strong. "Robin! I know you're in there somewhere! Snap out of it!" Her voice squeaked. Grima was now grinning from ear to ear.

Grima jerked his head back; Cordelia swore that she saw reflection flash in his eyes.

"C-Cordelia?" The incredibly familiar voice of Robin spoke, and Cordelia felt a warmth spring into his hands. "What... happened…?" He looked around in a confused manner while Cordelia pressed him toward her chest.

"Is it really you?" Tears lined her face and her cloak while she cautiously stayed in his embrace.

"Y-Yes, it's me." He sounded rather shaken, but nonetheless, her husband was back.

"Good…" Cordelia wept into his chest as she hugged him.

A single minute of silent understanding passed before Robin began to speak.

"You know, it really is amazing..." He began fumbling with his cloak pocket. "How gullible you are."

In a flash, he grabbed the mask and pressed it against Cordelia's face. It fit like a glove and covered her entire visage.

"Your husband's mind belongs to me!" Grima cackled with glee as the shocked look in Cordelia's eyes disappeared, and in its place was an empty stare. "And you shall join him!"

Her body jerked backward and began to convulse rapidly. This continued while Grima watched, and after a short while, Cordelia stopped convulsing and stood upright. She pulled her hood over her head, then walked towards Grima. She wrapped her arms around his chest in an affectionate manner. "Now then, let's go home," Grima spoke as he muttered an incantation.

A large, bleak castle sat in the middle of a ruined town. A sign was positioned at the entrance to the town, and it had a single word etched onto it:

Ylisstol.

The entire town had been burned to a crisp, save for a tree in the central courtyard. Twenty-eight corpses hung from that tree, and all of them looked distinct from one another. One had short, blue hair, another had purple hair and wore a cooking pot for a hat, et cetera.

Inside the dull castle, a single man slumped in his massive throne. Grima let out a sigh as he stood up and inspected his abode. He finally had absolute control over the world, but that was it. Sure, his victory had been hard-fought, but he was puzzled with the problem of finding something to do.

There's no fun to be had in a world where almost everyone was dead.

" _Victory is boring._ " That was a nagging thought that had been circulating his mind for the last month.

While Grima inspected his castle, he looked out a window and to a nearby field of crops that grew nothing. He shifted his focus to another window and was greeted with even more nothing that stretched into the empty sky. He walked to a decayed chest at his feet to discover nothing inside it.

A never-ending amount of nothing began to pour out of the box and fill the throne room. His eyes became clouded just from the abundance of nothing.

"Sire," A purple-skinned man wearing a butler's outfit entered the room. "The queen is ready for you." The man bowed.

"Thank you, Validar." Grima didn't even bother looking at his servant. He was too entranced by the nothing outside.

"Milord, are you well?" Validar asked; his bushy eyebrow was raised.

"Yes. I'm fine." He spoke in a harsh tone without looking back at the nothing that was Validar.

A balcony overlooked a meadow of dead trees while crimson rain pounded the ground. Grima sat at a table on a balcony overlooking nothing. His queen, Cordelia, sat opposite him in an upright manner. Her hood was pulled up and concealed her face. Grima poked at his seasoned fish with a fork before slumping back in his chair. He could tell this meal was about a week-old just from the smell alone.

" _Why am I eating? I'm Grima, the destroyer of kingdoms! I should be eating children; not this dead aquatic animal!_ " He thought to himself before shifting his gaze to Cordelia. "It's quite lovely out here." He spoke in an emotionless tone.

Cordelia didn't respond. Grima sighed. "Almost as lovely as you."

Cordelia was statuesque in her mannerisms. Grima found himself at the same conclusion he came to every night: there was no passion in a relationship with an obedient slave who only understood how to kill and how to cuddle.

Grima stood up and walked over to Cordelia's side. He pulled down the hood that concealed her face and watched as strands of her long, red hair spilled out. Cordelia didn't react. Grima ran his fingers through her hair before letting out another sigh. Her hair felt like an old carpet, which implied that Cordelia was in dire need of a bath. He slowly dragged his finger along the stone texture of her mask.

He was always envious of the marriage between Robin and Cordelia. Given that a mere puppet like Robin was able to experience more emotions than a divine dragon like himself, Grima found it necessary to steal his lifestyle completely. It's not like he cared about Cordelia -truth be told, he debated killing her after she let Severa and her band of merry idiots run away- it's just that he needed something to fill the nothing that he felt in his chest. Although, Grima did feel mildly confident that the only reason he chose Cordelia was because Robin was still trapped inside himself, and he found it hilarious that Robin was now forced to watch Cordelia indiscriminately slaughter all of his friends.

Grima placed his hands on Cordelia's shoulders in a firm manner as he gazed up at the dark sky above. "Is this what you wanted, Naga?" He shouted towards the clouds. "Well, then congratulations! You trapped me in my very own, special, one-of-a-kind, hell!"

He accidentally put too much weight on Cordelia's shoulders and pushed her down onto the table. "Oh, for crying out loud!" He sighed as Cordelia's face slammed into the wooden table. The desk was broken into two halves that snapped upright, and in the space between those two laid Cordelia. Remnants of the meal they had now lined the back of her robe.

"H-Huh? Wha-" Grima felt his metaphorical heart skip a beat when Cordelia sat upright and clutched her head. Her broken mask laid on the floor, and she turned her head around to see someone who she presumed was her husband. "Robin? Is that you?"

"Yeah, uh, it's me, Robin!" Grima laughed nervously as he placed his hands on Cordelia's shoulders. Warmth flowed through his fingers, and he quite enjoyed the feeling of someone who wasn't mentally unconscious. If only there was a way to get Cordelia to cooperate without temporarily turning her mind to mush.

Grima let out another sigh as he clapped his hands together. "Validar, I need another one of those masks!" He shouted to the doorway behind him.

"Sire, that's the fifth one you've broken this week!" Grima swore that he heard Validar sigh from the interior of the castle.

"V-Validar? Why is Validar here?" Grima could feel her shoulders tense as her body stiffened.

"Oh, uh, well you see…" Grima avoided making eye-contact with her as he stalled for time. "Validar here realized the error of his ways and is now serving me as a butler." He breathed a sigh of relief when Validar stepped onto the balcony.

"Sire, what exactly are you saying?" Validar had a rather bored look on his face as he held an ornate mask.

"Shut up, idiot. She's conscious." Grima whispered to the side, and Cordelia didn't hear a single word.

"Regardless, here is the mask. Try not to break this one, alright?" Validar handed the mask to Grima.

"You're a real comedian, you know that?" Grima's voice was oozing sarcasm as he tightly gripped the mask. "Okay, Cordelia, I need you to put this mask on." He waved the mask in front of Cordelia's face.

The very instant Cordelia saw that mask, she remembered when she had fallen in that battle. She remembered how her body refused to move as she laid on the dirt.

She remembered how a god using Robin's body approached her with a mask in his hand.

"H-Hang on." Cordelia pushed the mask away, which caused Grima to let out a mild 'tsk' noise.

"And this is why I like you more when you're under my control." Grima gave a bored sigh as he hurriedly placed the mask on Cordelia's face. She jerked upright and began to convulse rapidly for thirty seconds until she resumed stillness. "Well, that was a waste of time." Grima rolled his eyes and clapped his hands.

Cordelia's ears perked up as she heard the clap and she silently clambered into Grima's arms. Her head was nestled into his purple-clad shoulder. Grima closely held her like a bride while he felt the coldness of her body.

He walked back down the stairs and to the throne room, where he placed Cordelia on her feet. Grima seated himself on his throne, and Cordelia sat on his lap. She rested her head on his freezing chest. Grima shut his eyes and began to stroke the side of her head like he would a pet.

She essentially had the emotional range of a pet, given the mask that controlled her thoughts. Some days, he would take the mask off for a brief moment while they slept together, then laugh at her confusion before forcing it back on.

But that wasn't important; what was important was the nothingness on the back of Grima's eyelids.

* * *

I don't really mind that Grima didn't act like how he does ingame, because he had such little personality and motivation for what he did in _Awakening_ that one can't really do anything with him.

"Hurr durr, I'm evul. I'm gonna tak over tah world!"

There, I just summed up all the character Grima had in _Awakening_. Wait, no, it's more like:

"FoOlIsH mOrTaLs, DoN't YoU kNoW tHe OnLy WaY tO sOuNd SeRiOuS iS tO tAlK lIkE tHiS?"

It's not like the other villains in _Awakening_ are better; it's just that Grima is the most noticeable example considering he's the _main_ villain.

But I'm curious as to the opinions of the people who read this. Did you like the characterization of Grima in this chapter, or was it too different from the source material to be good? Please leave a review if you feel like sharing your opinions.


	12. Chapter Twelve: The Breaking Point

The Breaking Point

* * *

Caeldori mumbled quietly into the soot-covered floor of the temple as she awoke. For some reason, she had a throbbing headache. After getting to her feet and clutching her head, she stumbled out through the open door and into the dimly-lit main chamber where Kamui and Hisame were.

"How did it go?" Kamui asked while he gave her a tender smile. He expected her to succeed, but still felt a wave of relief wash over him when she emerged from the dimly-lit room.

"It was… strange…" Caeldori spoke, then felt as though her legs became pudding. She fell to the ground with her eyes shut, and Kamui and Hisame rushed to her side as the voice in the temple boomed.

"Do not be alarmed. Traveling across time and space has that effect on people. She will rejoin you shortly."

Kamui sat on his knees and leaned over her, then watched as her eyes fluttered open. Her throbbing headache was gone, and as such she found herself feeling rejuvenated. "Congratulations, champions. You have surpassed my trials, and as such, I will bestow a gift upon each of you." The voice boomed as a bright light filled the entire room.

The trio watched as three lockets appeared, and slowly descended until one landed in each person's hands. "These pendants hold my favor in them. Should you need a wish, simply toss them skyward and speak your desire."

"Question." Kamui's hand shot up like a beacon. "Can we use these to affect a certain god whose name starts with an A?" He lowered his hand and strung the amulet around his neck.

"Ah, I see I forgot to lay down the ground rules," Kamui swore that he heard the Temple God let out a sigh. "My intervention cannot cause a being's downfall. I can give you the tools to strike them down, but in the end, it will fall to you in defeating them."

" _Well, this had been a wonderful waste of time._ " Kamui thought as he let out a long sigh, then began to walk down the stairs to the outside. Of course, the one wild-goose chase that sounded promising ended with highly-restricted wishes. Caeldori eagerly followed behind Kamui, and Hisame motioned to join them before something stopped him.

"Hisame, please wait." The Temple God spoke. Hisame looked behind him into the empty room of the temple. "I know you are greatly saddened by the end of your trial."

Hisame didn't even bother responded; at this point, the voice was just attempting to apologize for ruining Hisame's perfect heaven. "I can also tell that you are displeased with my interruption of your trial."

"I hope you feel good about what you did." Hisame crossed his arms and glared at the stone wall of the temple.

A long, uneventful silence passed. Hisame began walking to the exit.

"From the bottom of my heart, I am truly sorry." The Temple God spoke as Hisame got to the bottom of the staircase. He stopped, turned around, and looked at the top of the staircase.

"It's… It's fine. You were just doing what had to be done." Hisame's voice shook, slightly, then he left the temple.

"Well, that was a fun little experience," Kamui spoke as he stood in a circle with his two friends. Hisame fought the urge to tell him that the last twenty years he had lived in there were anything but 'little'. "But we should get back to the castle."

Caeldori nodded, along with Hisame. After the group locked hands and Kamui muttered the incantation, they found themselves enveloped in a blinding flash of blue, then in the training yard of the castle.

"Thank you for the adventure," Hisame spoke as he scurried off toward the main castle. He desperately needed some time to reflect on what just happened. Kamui waved to him as he departed.

"So," Kamui used his other hand to delicately hold Caeldori's. "What do you want to do?" He had an incredibly romantic look on his face.

Caeldori felt as though her cheeks had caught fire as she felt the warmth of his fingers. Finally, the moment twelve years in the making had occurred, and Kamui and Caeldori were now a couple.

But before Caeldori could slink off with Kamui to do romantic activities, she felt the desire to pay her mother a visit, given the new information about her that was brought to light.

"Meet me at the hot spring in five minutes." She spoke before releasing his hand from her grip and sprinting off toward the castle.

Kamui assumed he should get to the hot spring before Caeldori, and as he walked to the spring, he remembered his training with Hinata that he scheduled. He scanned the commotion of the central courtyard of the castle until he saw Hisame's mother and father.

"Hey, Hinata! Over here!" Kamui waved to the couple as they passed by and watched as their heads turned to face him.

"What do you need, Kamui?" Hana asked in Hinata's steed as she raised her eyebrow; Hinata's hand was tightly grasping her own.

"Well, your husband said he wanted to train in order to get stronger, so I picked out a location near Fort Jinya where we could all spar," Kamui spoke with a smile on his face. For how often Hisame complained about his parents, they were still nice people.

"Is there a reason we couldn't we just train in the front yard?" Hana asked as Hinata's eyes beamed. Hinata's eyes lit up like a lantern when he realized what was going on.

"Oh, this is about Lord Takumi, huh?" He placed his hand on his chin while he thought. "Yeah, Takumi can't see our training, because I'm trying to beat him."

"Beat him in what?" Hana had an inquisitive look on her face.

"Friendly retainer-to-lord sparring matches. So what time will we depart?" Hinata asked.

"How about… when the sun sets and the moon rises." Kamui tossed out the idea, considering that he had no other plans at that time.

"See you then." Hana and Hinata spoke in a synchronous manner at the same time. "Jinks!" They both smiled and pointed at each other.

Selena sat on a chair inside her room and was glaring at a mound of dust in the corner next to the wooden door. It had been an hour now, and that darned dust still wasn't clean. It's not like she couldn't get up and clean it herself like Subaki asked her to, it's just that she had no doubt in her mind that she wouldn't screw it up.

Subaki entered the door and glanced at the pile of dust. He was sure that Selena was pulling a prank on him, and that it was a fake.

"Hey, Selena..." Subaki paused and smiled as he knelt down next to her. "I thought I asked you to get rid of that dust."

"You did." Selena had a rather cold look in her eyes. Subaki started to realize this wasn't an elaborate joke. "The only problem is that I would definitely get dust everywhere, and you would have to clean up after me." She folded her arms and stared at the ground. She knew that she was destined to be a perpetual mistake; such was her fate as the daughter of 'Little Lady Perfectionist'.

"That's not true." Subaki held her hands and was mildly shocked by how cold they felt. He always felt bad whenever Selena got like this; the most notable example was on the eve of their wedding when Selena spent three hours fearing that every detail wasn't perfect.

"We both know it is." Selena flared her nostrils and looked at the window to her left. "We both know how much of a screw-up I am." She swore that she could see the images of her childhood antagonists in the clouds.

"Little Lady Severa, who can't do anything. Her mother, Cordelia, had the worst offspring." The clouds mocked her with their asinine rhymes as they swirled around the blue sky. Selena's head dipped even lower to the ground as she brought her knees to her chest.

"Selena, please don't hurt yourself like this." Subaki gave her a desperate look as he wrapped his arms around her; the sheer compassion in his tone was overwhelming. "In my opinion, I always strive to reach the bar that you set."

"R-Really?" Selena brought her head up to look at Subaki with her glistening eyes. Surely, her husband didn't mean tha-.

"Truly," Subaki whispered in her ear. The soothing feeling of his hands seemed to drive the clouds away from her thoughts. "Like that time you had mess hall duty and you cleaned all the tables spotless."

"Really? There were all sorts of grime and dirt on those things." Selena smiled as she nuzzled her head into Subaki's neck. Subaki let out a mild chuckle.

"It's nice to see you this uplifted." Subaki affectionately kissed his wife on the cheek.

"Well, I wouldn't be, if not for my caring husband." Selena pressed her lips to Subaki's and clutched his back. She always loved whenever Subaki held her like this with his big, strong arms that cradled her.

"Am I interrupting something?" The distinct voice of their daughter spoke, which caused both Selena and Subaki's eyes to awkwardly glance at her. She was standing in the doorway to their room and had a mildly disgusted look on her face.

"How long were you watching us?" Subaki and Selena asked at the same time.

"After father said 'truly'." Caeldori answered back and continued to stand in the doorway.

"Caeldori… Could you do your father and me a favor and, uh, go somewhere else?" Selena's voice sounded very polite as she held onto Subaki's figure.

Caeldori realized the events that were about to ensue and bolted out of the room. "Well, that got her out. Now, what do you want to do?" Selena's gaze turned back to her husband.

"If we're being honest." Subaki heard his stomach growl. "I could really use a snack."

"There's some cake in the mess hall; wanna go steal it for ourselves?" Selena now had a devilish grin from ear to ear.

"Oh, thank gods, I thought you'd never ask." Subaki had always wanted to eat that scrumptious-looking cake, but he needed an accomplice in case someone caught him.

Selena got to her feet and grabbed Subaki by the hand. They both exited their room and began their plan to 'liberate' the cake from the mess hall.

Kamui rested his aching back further into the steamy waters of the hot spring. He felt his remaining stress from that battle with that massive spider practically melt away while he entered a trance.

"Kamui, are you in here?" A voice resounded through the entry hallway of the building. Caeldori entered the spring and looked around until her eyes settled their gaze on Kamui. A towel was wrapped around her chest. "There you are." She smiled while she walked to the side of the pool that he resided in.

Even though before two weeks ago, Kamui was absolutely against being romantic with Caeldori, he couldn't deny that there was something so… _attractive_ … about her. She was _so_ attractive, that Kamui started to wonder why he rejected her.

"I think I might melt…" Kamui mumbled as he shut his eyes. He felt the ripple of water being displaced, and shortly after, a pair of soft hands wrapped themselves around his bare chest.

"Oh, gods," Caeldori's tone slowed itself and became incredibly lax. "You're right. This water is sublime." She placed her head on Kamui's shoulder and felt the warmth from his body. Kamui clasped his fingers around her smooth hand as his other hand moved to her legs. He lifted her knees upward and placed them over his legs before moving his hand around her back.

"I don't know what the heck I was thinking when I turned you down," Kamui mumbled before placing his lips upon Caeldori's. Caeldori was absolutely ecstatic that Kamui was now her lover.

Hisame let out a deep, prolonged sigh as he sat on the bench underneath a sakura tree. He was still emotionally coping with his trial.

As if by some naming coincidence, Princess Sakura walked toward him; her hair was illuminated by the setting sun behind her.

"Um, hi, Hisame. Are you doing alright?" She asked while his brow furrowed.

"Go away." His tone could practically kill someone with its harshness.

"I-I'm sorry! I was just wondering how your day was!" Sakura hurriedly stood up and scurried away. Hisame sighed, rolled his eyes, and got up as well.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. I've just had a lot on my mind." He called out in a significantly more docile tone. The princess stopped her fleeing and looked behind; she had a frightened look on her flushed face.

"Do tell." She cautiously walked back to the bench and seated herself. Hisame sat down as well and hunched his back.

"When Kamui, Caeldori, and I went to that temple, we each partook in a trial. Mine involved rescuing Caeldori." Hisame began to recollect. He neglected to mention that he had killed a mental representation of one of Sakura's retainers.

"That sounds like quite the adventure. So why exactly are you so distraught?" Sakura was very curious as to why her godson looked so upset.

"Because the trial didn't end after I rescued Caeldori; it ended after we spent twenty years together as a family." Hisame stared out across the empty training yard. Sakura felt as though the sadness in his voice was palpable.

"Oh," Sakura interjected.

"We raised a child, and we were expecting another before I had to depart." Hisame looked down to the ground. "Her name was Shigeki, and she was the light of my life." Even the mere mention of her name caused Hisame's entire body to hurt.

"Oh…" Sakura spoke again, but this time with a softer voice.

"I even sang to her before I left." Memories flashed through Hisame's eyes, and a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Oh… g-gods..." Sakura felt her hands tremble as her voice quavered. She stared out across a field of flowers that Hana planted and remembered why she came. "That sounds incredibly heart-wrenching." The fact that Hisame had to go through something like that was incredibly saddening to her.

"It was." Hisame sniffled his nose, then looked toward the sky. He just wanted to be back in his wife's comforting arms.

"But, I came here bearing good news. While you were gone, I arranged a meeting between you and your parents, so you can all sit together and discuss your issues." Sakura smiled at him; he didn't even bother to meet her gaze.

"I told you: don't meddle in my family problems." He stood up and began to stomp toward the castle.

"Hisame, wait! Just hear me out on this." Sakura grabbed him by the arm and refused to let go. Hisame rolled his eyes and turned around. "They said they would meet me here tonight."

"Why should I fix our issue? You can't change childhood neglect." Hisame glared at her.

"Because, we can darn well try and repair your broken relationship, okay?" Sakura gave him a pleading look as a warm breeze drifted by. "Just wait with me here until they show up." She looked up and stared directly into Hisame's soul. "Please?"

A sigh escaped his lips, again.

"Fine."

"Okay. When the sun sets and the moon rises, they'll meet us here." Sakura sat down on the bench as she continued to hold Hisame's hand; he jerked his arm while grunting and threw Sakura's hand off his.

Even though he was exceptionally mad, Sakura did have a point. If Hisame and his parents had a heart-to-heart, then maybe they could work towards fixing what was broken.

This was the chance for Hisame to have an actual family, and he was overjoyed by that.

After a couple hours of waiting, the sun had finally set, and the stars were alight. Hinata and Hana had not shown up yet.

"They should be here any minute now..." Sakura continued to smile as she sipped more of the tea that Leo had brewed for her. Hisame leaned against the bench and couldn't wait for his parents to show up.

The moon had risen a good distance now, and the commotion of the training yard had disappeared into the castle. Hisame's parents did not show up.

"Maybe… they, uh… Maybe they got held up by bandits?" Sakura spoke; Hisame had noticed that her smile and optimism had completely vanished.

"At least it's not raining." Hisame hunched over on the bench. Immediately after he spoke, thunder rolled in the distance and he felt a drop of water fall onto his nose. Even though he looked rather upset, he still hoped that Sakura was right.

An hour passed. The moon was now directly in the center of the night sky. Sakura had been shivering from the cascade of cold rain until Hisame grabbed a blanket from the infirmary and gave it to her. He didn't mind the cold; it reminded him of home.

Hana and Hinata had not shown up.

"Hisame… I…" Sakura shivered as she ran her fingers through her wet hair. "I don't know what to say…"

Hisame stared down at the ground, and Sakura could see his eyes glisten with tears.

"I just wanted… A family…" His breathing became sporadic and 'funny' for a moment. Sakura stared down at the wet dirt as well.

"I'm sorry." Sakura wrapped her arms around her godchild. Her voice was muffled through the fabric of his cloak, but the heartfelt gesture was still there.

"I-It's okay, Sakura." Hisame looked over to the bundled princess. "You did everything, you could. I'm sorry that I wasted your time with my petty troubles." His cautiously optimistic thoughts were gone. In their wake was nothing but rage. " _I should've seen this coming…_ "

A bright flash of blue caught his attention.

"Man, that was fun!" The distinctive tone and pitch of Hinata's voice shook through the yard like an earthquake. Out of the flash came Hinata and Hana, followed by Kamui.

Sakura gazed on in fear as Hisame's face twisted into a vehement glare.

"Hey, Hisame!" Kamui called out. He met Hisame's look and his expression became puzzled as to why Hisame looked so upset.

Hana and Hinata stared across the yard at their son, and something began to stir in their thoughts.

"Oh, gods…" Hana's eyes widened as she remembered what she had told Sakura earlier in the afternoon. She knew, deep down, that she had screwed up.

In the blink of an eye, Hisame got to his feet and sprinted toward the castle. He couldn't even bear to look at the lying cheats that he called 'parents'.

"Hisame, wait!" Hinata called before he started to chase after him. Before he could get any closer, he felt a hand latch onto his. He looked to his back and saw that Sakura had grabbed hold of his arm.

"Just let him be!" She was on the verge of screaming at him while her blanket flew off of her from the wind. Hinata stopped his struggling and paused; he gave Sakura the look she had never seen in her entire life.

It was the look of a defeated parent.

Hisame continued to sprint through the rain until he was a good distance away from his parents. His footsteps slowed to a walk as he stomped toward a bed of red flowers. He continued along his way, then looked back at the flowers.

Red.

" _Those are Caeldori's favorite flowers…_ " Hisame knelt down before the garden, then grabbed a bundle of the floral decorations.

No matter how disappointed he was, he still clung to the hope that he could salvage something out of this horrible night.

Something that would give him a family, and reunite him with Caeldori and Shigeki.

Sophie leaned back in her bed as Caeldori continued to ramble on about her day.

"And then, after I dipped my feet into the spring, he held me in his arms…" Her face was practically beaming with delight.

"Uh-huh. Sounds great, Caelly." Sophie didn't even bother to look up from her book. After listening to Caeldori ramble on about her day, Sophie was just glad that she could fall asleep soon.

A knock resounded through their room.

"Coming!" Caeldori spoke in a perky tone. "Hello?" She opened the door to reveal Hisame, who she swore had a glare on his face before he noticed her.

"O-Oh… Hello, C-Caeldori." Hisame's voice squeaked while his internal thoughts devolved into a cacophony of screams. It should be second-nature to talk to her, given that they spent twenty years together, but still he felt flustered. "I b-brought you some flowers." He gripped the stems of the bouquet of red flowers that he had picked.

"Oh, why thank you." Caeldori smiled as she took the flowers and placed them in a bowl atop her nightstand. "Was there anything else you needed?" She asked while walking back to the doorway.

"Actually, I was wondering… If you wanted… to… go…" Hisame's voice grew weaker with every passing second. "Forget it." He spoke as he turned around and began to walk down the hallway of the castle.

"Hey, wait up!" Caeldori hurriedly exited her room and placed a hand on his shoulder. Hisame jerked his head upright. "Come on, what do you want to say?" Maybe Hisame wanted to go train or something.

Caeldori detected the fear in his gaze as they locked eyes.

"Would you like to go out with me?" Time seemed to slow to a crawl after Hisame spoke those eight words; the same eight that he had always dreamed about.

Caeldori's expression shifted from happiness to sadness in the blink of an eye. She had to tell him, but she almost stopped herself completely.

Here was a man who she would be with, if not for her relationship with Kamui. Hisame was a very nice man, it's just that Caeldori was already with Kamui.

"Oh... Hisame… I'm sorry, but Kamui and I got together this morning." Caeldori's tone sounded like she genuinely cared about his feelings.

The name 'Kamui' struck Hisame in the gut like he had just been trampled by a faceless. He remembered back to that morning when Kamui and Caeldori had seemed so awkward when he delivered breakfast to them.

It was at this point that the already-broken fragments of Hisame's heart had now been ground into red dust by Kamui's foot.

"Oh…" He sighed. "Thank you for being honest with me."

Before he could depart, Caeldori wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed her head into his shoulder. She was genuinely sad to see him this dejected.

"I'm sorry." That was the third time today he heard that phrase.

Hisame stopped his movements and jerked upright. He had to force himself not to cry. "You'll find someone, I promise." Memories of those twenty years began to flash through his eyes as he felt the comforting warmth of Caeldori's hands.

Hisame shook her arms off of him and began to walk away in a hurried fashion. Sophie poked her head out of the doorway.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"Hisame asked me out," Caeldori spoke as she watched the man walk down the hallway.

"But I thought you and Kamui were a coup-" Before Sophie could finish her thought, Caeldori interrupted her.

"Exactly." Her voice sounded like one who had just broken a man's spirit. Somewhere, deep down, she suspected that much was true.

Once Hisame had left the castle, he sat against the stone walls of the building and brought his knees to his face.

"Kamui played me like a puppet." He mumbled with a shaky tone. In his mind, it was obvious who to blame. " _Kamui knew all along that Caeldori loved him, and he knew that I loved her._ " Tears began to streak his eyes as rain cascaded the top of his head.

He slowly closed his tired, weary eyes.

A person materialized in front of Hisame as he opened his eyes. He shifted his gaze up to see Kamui, who was leaning over him with a smile.

"Hisame, come on. Everyone's waiting for you. Everyone's waiting to pelt you with stones. Everyone's waiting to yell at you. Everyone's going to make your life utter hell." Kamui's smile had changed completely into a menacing glare.

"W-Who's 'everyone' …?" Hisame's jaw quivered from the cold. Kamui's words teased him and pierced his fragile mind like arrows.

"Everyone that you love," Kamui stated in a dry, monotone voice. Suddenly, a group of figures wearing a black cloak burst from the ground and swarmed around Hisame. One of them stepped out from the rest and pulled his hood back to reveal a red ponytail.

"Look who it is," Subaki spoke before jerking his foot into Hisame's stomach. Hisame let out a whimper as he felt a sharp jolt of pain from his stomach. "The pathetic nothing whose name is Hisame."

"S-Stop it!" Hisame pleaded as Subaki continued to mercilessly assault him.

"You're gonna die here," Subaki spoke again and smashed his fist into Hisame's face. "Alone, unloved, unknown." His fists relentlessly tore into Hisame's body.

"S-S-S-Stop it! Please!" Hisame's entire body felt numb from the barrage of punches and kicks. The blows stopped, and Hisame opened his eyes to reveal another cloaked figure standing before him in Subaki's place. "C-Caeldori?"

"Hisame, are you alright?" Her voice was incredibly tender as she knelt beside him. "You must be so cold… Here, let me warm you up." She departed, for a moment, and returned with a blue blanket. "There you go. Nice and snug as a rug with a tug and a shrug and a-" Her eerie smile stared directly at him; he felt extremely unnerved.

Caeldori had wrapped the blanket around Hisame and was now pressing it against his mouth. "-jug with a pug who's a thug and a bug and-" She was inching her head ever so closer to his own.

"Caeldori!" Hisame's voice was muffled through the blanket as she pressed it against his head. "Stop it! You're choking me!" His nose felt as though it were being crushed. Her eyes widened, and her irises had grown until her eyes were nothing but black.

"Oh, I forgot!" Caeldori pulled the blanket off his head. Hisame gasped for breath as sweet, life-giving air filled his lungs. "I brought someone with me!" She pulled a small, familiar child from behind her back and placed it before Hisame.

"Daddy, why are you crying?" Shigeki asked with an adorable smile on her face.

"S-Shigeki…" Hisame's voice sank when he heard her familiar giggle.

"Is it because you know you'll never see me again?" She stated before pulling a miniature music box out from behind her; Hisame recognized it as his childhood toy.

Shigeki began to pull the winch on the box until it stopped moving. She watched with glee as the music box began to play. Hisame expected the familiar, soothing notes of his lullaby to calm him down, but instead, something else entirely began to play.

The sound of Hisame crying echoed out of the box.

Shigeki placed the toy on the ground and laughed with glee as she ran around it. She laughed and kept laughing. She found her father's suffering _so funny,_ that she couldn't stop.

Hisame's hands trembled, which only became worse when he heard the sound of Kamui and Caeldori laughing mixed in with his sobbing. He began to wail in pain as the noises overwhelmed his thoughts.

He flailed and kicked his arms, but the blanket was now placed back over his body. It restrained his movements and made breathing into a nightmare. He looked to his right and saw Hinata and Hana staring at him from across the training yard.

They nodded their heads and sighed before walking away.

"Help me!" Hisame cried; the cold rain poured onto his face. "Please… h-help me…" He croaked out the last few words and watched in terror as his parents continued to walk away. They didn't even bother to look at their pathetic son. "Why is this happening to me?!" He screamed.

The cold air seemed to surround him now and choked any remaining air out of his lungs. Before he shut his eyes, he heard a single, familiar voice.

"Nobody loves you," Kamui growled.

Hisame jerked his head upright as he leaned against the castle. He frantically checked his body, and let out a sigh of relief when he found no restrictive blanket covering him.

" _That was a… dream…_ "

He felt something break deep within him. He was sure it wasn't his heart because the trial did a fine enough job of demolishing that.

Hisame's spirit had been shattered. He wasn't sure if it was Kamui promising to pelt him with rocks, Caeldori attempting to choke him, or his parents neglecting him when he needed it most. Regardless, he felt a familiar emotion course through him: raw, unbridled rage.

He felt rage towards Caeldori for waiting until he was most vulnerable to reject him.

He felt rage at his parents for neglecting him for eighteen years.

And most importantly, he felt a never-ending amount of rage towards Kamui for ruining his future.

Hisame paused as he wiped his cheek with his baggy sleeve. He needed a way to make Kamui pay. He needed a way to make Kamui suffer for what he's done.

He needed to kill Kamui because then he could be with Caeldori. The only problem was that Hisame and Kamui were evenly matched in terms of combat, and there was nothing he could do to even the edge.

Or was there? Hisame began to recollect on his training and remembered one crucial fact. " _Spears beat swords_."

In the blink of an eye, Hisame grabbed his necklace and threw it towards the night sky. He watched as it disappeared into a blinding flash of light.

"What do you desire?" The familiar voice of the Temple God boomed.

"A Master Seal." Hisame gritted his teeth; his voice was full of anger.

"As you wish." The voice stated as a golden ball floated down from the light. He focused on the intricate design of the sphere, including the smaller red ball in the middle.

Hisame tossed the sphere skyward and watched as lightning crackled out of it. He continued to gaze on as he was enveloped by the bright flash of light, and he felt raw, extreme power course through his veins.

Finally, Hisame was a Master of Arms, and he had only one thought.

" _Kamui will pay for ruining my life._ "

* * *

...


	13. Chapter Thirteen: What Friends Are For

What Friends Are For

Author's note: I recommend listening to the song _Crazy Robo_ from _Sonic Adventure_ when Hisame says, "Get up."

* * *

Ryoma shuddered as he walked around the dimly-lit interior of the armory. It was incredibly early in the morning, and today was his shift for checking the armory. Piles of weapons sat upon crates, and various items lined the walls.

"C-C-Can we p-please go b-b-bac-ck to bed soon?" Camilla stood behind him with a blanket wrapped around her body; her teeth were chattering at an astounding speed.

"No, Camilla. We need to make sure nothing is displaced." Ryoma gave her a sympathetic look, then gazed to the paper in his hands. Either Caeldori or Subaki had detailed every piece of armor, weapon, and item that was supposed to be in here, and almost everything was accounted for. All that was left was four arms scrolls, a silver naginata, and a battering club.

Ryoma searched around for the four books and the weapons until Camilla grabbed the paper out of his hand.

"What are you looking for?" She asked as she studied the manuscript. Frigid air wafted out of her mouth while she exhaled.

"There should be four arms scrolls, a battering club, and a silver naginata right there." Ryoma pointed to the wall opposite the entrance to the armory where various weapons were strewn around. He began to dig through the piles until he was certain they weren't there.

"Uh, Ryoma…" Camilla dropped the paper to the ground and looked outside the door. "You might want to see this." Ryoma walked to her side and looked out the door.

In the center of the sunlit training yard stood a man with light-brown hair, who leaned over a certain boy that Ryoma identified immediately.

"Kamui!" Ryoma's 'brother wolf' instincts were immediately set-off as he sprinted to the outside. Rain soaked his head while his feet splashed through puddles, and fog rolled through the air. He could see Kamui sleeping while this man loomed over him, and he simply needed to protect his brother.

The man with brown hair noticed Ryoma and raised his hands toward the heavens, then threw a violet sphere directly into the ground. Purple light began to pour out of the ground around Kamui and the man until it made a bubble-like shape that encased them.

Ryoma arrived at the barrier and pounded his fist against it. Ripples coursed through the obstacle, but it did not budge. Ryoma couldn't see inside the barrier, but his gut told him that something horrible was about to happen.

Kamui awoke to the sound of footsteps stomping into a puddle.

"Get up." The familiar voice of Hisame spoke; Kamui detected the lack of warmth in said voice.

"Hisame? Is that you?" Kamui groggily opened his eyes and stared up at the sky. He could see nothing except for the color purple. The entire sky had been replaced with a solid wall of purple that enclosed Hisame and himself in a small, circular area.

Kamui's feet felt rather damp, and he looked down to see the grass inside the dome was all wet, with some puddles interspaced. The air inside the enclosed barrier had a tense feel to it, and it seemed the source of that vibe was Hisame himself; he looked as if he had gone through hell and back, what with his eyes drooping and his hands noticeably tense.

"I said get up!" Hisame screamed. Kamui scrambled to his feet and noticed that Hisame's attire had also changed to reflect a new menacing demeanor. He was wearing a cowl and had adorned many plates of metal onto his chest and arms. Kamui thought this must be some elaborate joke set up by Caeldori.

"What's with this purple barrier?" Kamui raised his eyebrow at the menacing glare on Hisame's face.

"Oh," Hisame raised his eyebrows as he stopped his movements. "I forgot to explain where we are. This lovely barrier is something I _liberated_ from Nyx's room. We are completely shut out from the rest of the castle until I snap my fingers."

"Did you promote yourself?" Kamui felt a twinge of nervousness in his body as he stared at the silver naginata Hisame brandished.

"Yes, but given Caeldori used the last of the master seals, I had to improvise." Hisame's glare could very well kill someone with its intensity.

"Hisame, you didn't…" Kamui felt his gut sink when he noticed that Hisame's locket was gone.

It was at this moment that Kamui realized this was no joke. Hisame was _dead_ serious about this. "So where did you get the spear?"

"From your armory, which you had the lovely courtesy to leave unlocked. But that's not important. What is important is the future that you stole from me." Hisame continued to glare at Kamui.

"What future? I didn't steal anything from you." Kamui smiled in a hesitant manner. Surely he could attempt to calm Hisame down with logic and due process.

"That trial I had yesterday. After I killed Subaki, I lived a long, happy twenty years with Caeldori. We had a _child_ , Kamui. A child." Hisame paced back and forth. "For the first time in my life, I felt happiness…" He paused his walking, stared at the dirt, then shifted his gaze to Kamui, who he could barely stand to look at. "And then you stole her from me."

"W-What?!" Kamui was taken aback. "Stole her from you? Hisame, she's been chasing me ever since she got here!"

"But you just had to accept her, didn't you? You knew that I loved her, and yet you still crushed my dreams by accepting her love." Hisame gripped the handle of his naginata tightly with both hands. Inside his thoughts were screams that surrounded him; his own screams mixed in with the sound of Kamui's laughter.

"Hisame, who turned you down?" Kamui raised an eyebrow and gave him a serious look.

"Caeldori did." His voice was dry and monotone.

"Exactly. I didn't interfere at all, she's just not interested in you." Kamui's tone had an air of wit in it. The screams inside Hisame's thoughts became a roar.

He clutched his head and shook violently as his thoughts were barraged with wails of torment. " _You're a failure._ " Kamui's voice spoke.

" _Nobody loves you._ " The now cold voice of Caeldori rang in his ear.

"Get out of my head!" Hisame let out a scream as he released his forehead from his grip.

"Hisame... Are you alright?" Kamui asked with genuine concern in his voice; not only for Hisame but for himself as well.

"Shut up! She turned me down because you were already with her!" Hisame gritted his teeth and gave Kamui a frustrated look. Kamui realized that his previous statement was moot, and he had just poked an incredibly angry bear with a flaming sword. "You stole my happiness! You stole my wife from me! You stole my _daughter_ from me!" Hisame brought the point of his spear upward.

He shifted his gaze towards Kamui's sword, the Yato. "Grab your sword and duel me." His tone had an air of calm in it, which stood in contrast to his yelling from before. It was as if he had learned to control his anger and use it as a weapon.

"Hisame, I refuse to fight yo-" Kamui spoke, and in a single moment Hisame had brought his spear up to Kamui's neck like a serpent lunging out of foliage at a rabbit.

"Did I make myself clear?" Hisame's voice became shaky as he held his pointed weapon against the supple flesh of Kamui's neck. Kamui's heart thumped in his ears as Hisame pulled the tip of his spear away from his jugular; he bent down and picked up his sword. His thoughts consisted of a single message that repeated over and over again.

"I can't fight you," Kamui stated his mind; his voice was rather caring given the current predicament.

"Then it'll be easier for me to strike you down." Hisame stepped backward and looked to the purple barrier. "Enough stalling."

Kamui blinked, and when he opened his eyes, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Hisame had slashed his chest with his naginata within a single second. Kamui grunted in pain as Hisame stepped back, then wiped the blood off the silver tip of his weapon. He struck again, but this time Kamui blocked with his sword. Hisame slinked backward and waited for Kamui to strike.

Kamui raised his sword, but his hands refused to budge. No matter how bloodthirsty Hisame was, he still was Kamui's friend, and Kamui refused to harm a friend.

Hisame watched with bated breath while Kamui reached into his pocket. He did not pull out a sword, but rather a staff. He raised it skyward, chanted, and watched as a bright light enveloped him.

After the flash dissipated, Kamui's wounds had disappeared and he felt rejuvenated.

Hisame stared in disbelief; Kamui expected him to say something. He remained silent as he jabbed his spear towards Kamui.

The prince rolled out of the way and began to sprint along the edge of the barrier. "Get back here!" Hisame let out a yell as he chased after Kamui. Kamui took a sharp left turn and cut through the middle of the duel grounds. Hisame continued after him.

Hisame stopped in the center of the area and glared at Kamui. " _Why won't that coward fight me?_ " His thoughts were practically boiling with rage as he reached into the pockets of his cloak.

Kamui continued to sprint around the edge of the barrier, and only now realized how vast the dueling ground was. Hisame a good distance away, and Kamui slowed his running as he stared at the man.

A battering club sailed through the air and directly in front of Kamui. This prompted him to continue sprinting as Hisame tossed more clubs at him. "Stay still, idiot!" Hisame spoke with anger while all his weapons missed.

Kamui continued to run along the edge of the perimeter; his blue cape fluttered behind him and his feet sloshed through the puddles. Hisame was down to his last club now, and he needed to make it count. He pulled his arm back and aimed not at where Kamui was, but where he was going to be. Hisame heaved his club through the air.

Kamui felt a spiked club smash into the side of his face and yelped in pain as he was thrown to the soggy ground.

He clutched his head as blood soaked his fingers, and he gazed on in terror as Hisame leaned over him. "You've lived a good life, Kamui." Hisame was now brandishing his silver naginata while Kamui laid on the ground. "I'll be sure to tell Caeldori of how valiantly you fought." He raised the bottom of his spear up and angled the pointed tip towards Kamui.

"Hisame, stop this!" Kamui yelled as he rolled away from the spear. He glanced in terror as the tip burrowed itself into the wet soil, and picked himself up. He ran away while Hisame was preoccupied with pulling his weapon out of the ground.

Hisame watched as his opponent ran away, again. Kamui had a noticeable limp as he sprinted, though, so Hisame took comfort that at least he was whittling the prince down.

Alas, he had spoken too soon, as Kamui raised his staff skyward and let out a chant. A heavenly light enveloped him, and after it dissipated, his limp was gone.

Hisame let out a groan as he pulled his spear out, then ran after Kamui. "I refuse to fight you!" Kamui's tone was an incomprehensible mix of sternness and tenderness.

The pause between Hisame's footsteps grew shorter and shorter as he continued his advance. Kamui needed something to calm Hisame down.

Kamui's gaze turned to his neck. "Hisame... Please, stop fighting..." His voice had shifted completely into worried now. Hisame had caught up to him and dove for his leg.

"Never," Hisame spoke. "I can't stop doing the only thing I have left…" Hisame wrapped his fingers around Kamui's leg and felt the metallic polish of his armor.

"Then you give me no choice," Kamui spoke as Hisame brought him to the floor. He clutched his amulet and tossed it skyward. It erupted into a bright flash of light.

"What do you desire?" The Temple God's voice rang through the silence.

"Please… Make Hisame stop fighting…" Kamui pleaded.

"As you wish." The voice spoke as the necklace exploded into a bright flash of light.

Nothing fell out of it, much to Hisame's surprise. Regardless, now was a prime opportunity to strike Kamui. After standing up, Hisame stomped his foot on Kamui's hand and held his spear above him.

A chill ran through his spine, and he jumped back in shock. Kamui rolled away and stood up, panting for breath.

A ghostly voice began to whisper; Kamui heard it as well. It sounded like someone they knew very well, but much older. It was a voice Hisame had known for twenty years.

"Hisame…" Caeldori spoke. Her loving voice sounded faint.

"Who's there! Show yourself!" Hisame jerked his head upward and frantically looked around.

"Hisame… End this…" The voice spoke again.

Kamui's ears perked up as he heard the voice. "You're not like this… You promised you two would be there for each other!"

Kamui watched as Hisame's breathing became sporadic and 'funny'. He stomped towards Kamui and swung his fist directly into his cheeks.

A mild twinge of pain coursed through Kamui's body as he reeled back. He clutched his head and gave a worried look to Hisame.

"Please… You and Kamui are friends…" Caeldori whispered in their ears.

Hisame stepped back. Again, he looked around the enclosed barrier, as if he was searching for someone.

"You're my caring husband! You're Shigeki's _father_!" The voice was as loud as a roar now.

Hisame trudged his feet towards Kamui. He slowly threw his fist toward his jaw, and his cold fingers dragged off his skin. Kamui felt no physical pain, but he couldn't say the same for his emotions.

"Please… Remember…" After the voice echoed, a blinding flash of white enveloped Hisame and Kamui. The two felt as though they were enveloped in a warm, pleasing aura that numbed their skin.

A cradle sat in a room and was surrounded by toys and pictures. Hisame leaned over the cradle as he held his wife's hand. A gentle breeze drifted by in the nearby window.

"To be blessed with a child…" Caeldori's voice became shaky as her grip tightened. "I'm so happy…"

Hisame's eyes began to water as he stared at his little bundle of joy. Shigeki's miniature frame rested in the small bed, and her tiny fists were waving in the air while she frowned. Hisame dragged his finger over her smooth forehead, then smiled as he felt the warmth of her body.

"We did it." He stated before wrapping his arms around Caeldori. "We made our own little family!" He began to sob as he lifted her off her feet.

A knock resounded through their house, and the front door opened.

"I heard the wonderful news and came as soon as possible." Kamui stepped in, the sunlight shining behind hi, and gave them both a tender smile.

"Thank you for coming." Hisame beamed as he placed Caeldori back on her feet and shook Kamui's hand. He excitedly led the prince over to the cradle where his daughter rested and pointed to it.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Caeldori asked as she walked over.

"She looks wonderful. She has her mother's hair, you know." He pulled his head back from over the cradle and smiled at Caeldori. "I'm confident that she'll grow up to be kind and caring like her father."

"Funny you should mention that," Hisame smiled as he placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Because I'm confident that she'll grow up to be kind like _you_ , Kamui."

Kamui sat on a fallen log next to Hisame. They both watched as the river coursed by.

"Thank you for everything," Hisame stated while smiling. "You've always been there for me, you know."

"That's what friends are for," Kamui spoke with a loving smile on his face. The sun shone in the distance, and Kamui placed a hand on Hisame's shoulder.

The bright flash of light disappeared, and in its wake stood Kamui and Hisame, who had dazed looks on their eyes. Kamui had just seen those twenty years that Hisame treasured, and he had to force himself to not burst into tears when he realized he had just stolen Hisame's future from him.

The sound of metal clinking broke the silence; Kamui noticed the discarded spear next to Hisame. Hisame pulled back his hood and revealed his beautiful light-brown hair. Hisame snapped his finger, and the purple barrier disappeared. Cold rain pounded the top of their heads, but Kamui couldn't care less.

A warm, calming breeze wafted by, almost symbolically pushing away the tense feeling from before. The screaming inside Hisame's thoughts was replaced with a single, delightful message.

" _I love you…_ " The voice of Caeldori echoed in his mind. Hisame's eyes began to water.

"Hisame… I'm so sorry..." Kamui paused as Hisame slowly dragged himself toward him.

Hisame wrapped his arms tightly around him. Kamui responded by holding him in an embrace.

"I just wanted… To see my family again…" Hisame's voice was muffled through Kamui's shoulder. Kamui patted him gently on the back while Hisame wailed. Hisame had broken his promise, and only know did he realize he just tried to kill his best friend.

"It's okay, Hisame… Everything's going to be fine…" Kamui's voice sounded as if he was on the verge of tears.

He had already crossed that point.

"You were always there for me… And I attacked you..." Hisame's voice had turned into a whimper. "You were the one who taught Shigeki how to read… You checked in on Caeldori when I was gone…" Hisame pressed Kamui even closer to his chest.

"Even though I wasn't there to see those years..." Kamui's tone became shaky. "I'll always help you out… I'll always be there for to cheer you up… I'll always be a part of your family."

"T-Thank you…" Hisame's sobbing became more frequent; Kamui's did as well. "I've always wondered what it's like to have a family… Thank you for being mine…"

"You should've won that fight…" Kamui spoke into Hisame's shoulder. "Caeldori should've chosen you over me." He couldn't help but believe that what he was saying was true.

"That's not true," Hisame mumbled back. "You make her happy, and as long as she's happy, then I am content." Kamui tightened his grip on Hisame's back. Hisame realized that he wasn't going to end up with Caeldori.

And he was completely fine with that.

The two held each other tightly for what felt like an age until Kamui spoke up.

"I promise you that after this… We'll get you someone who loves you, and cares for you, and makes you feel special inside…" Kamui attempted to cheer Hisame up.

The sound of footsteps approaching became louder and louder until it matched Kamui's heartbeat.

A crimson blur collided with Hisame and tackled him to the floor.

"Stay down, criminal!" Ryoma yelled as he pinned Hisame to the floor.

"Ryoma!" Kamui stared at his brother with a panicked look. "What are you doing?!" He hadn't even begun to wipe his eyes.

"This man tried to kill you, Kamui! He has committed an offense punishable only by death!" Ryoma's voice was strained as he grabbed Hisame by his hair and placed him on his knees. Hisame had lost the will to struggle as he watched Ryoma unsheathe his sword.

"Stop!" Kamui cried out. He couldn't bear to see this happen. Hisame didn't deserve this.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Ryoma's blade sparkled with lightning. He pulled his sword toward the sky and began to bring it down towards Hisame's neck.

"No!" Kamui gritted his teeth. He needed to do something to make Ryoma stop. Something that would save Hisame's life.

Kamui jumped off the ground and dove in front of Hisame. Ryoma watched in terror as his brother leaped in front of Hisame, and attempted to stop his blade before it could do any harm.

Alas, it was too late to stop damage from being done.

Kamui let out an ear-piercing scream as the divine power of the sword coursed through his body like fire. He crumpled to the ground in a motionless heap. His eyes were shut and his fingers cold.

"No!" Ryoma cried out as he dove next to his brother. He hurriedly placed a hand on his chest in a desperate search to find something, anything, that confirms whether Kamui was alive or dea-.

Thump.

Thump.

Ryoma shifted his gaze to Hisame, who was now standing with a look of terror on his face. "Run! Run far away from here before I kill you!" Tears were lining the King's face.

Hisame stumbled backward in disbelief before turning around and sprinting for the exit of the castle. Tears streaked his face as he ran through the gate and into the world outside.

He found himself in a forest surrounded by massive trees. He stopped running and leaned next to one of the massive oaks, then bent over before vomiting onto the ground. He continued to cry as the sour taste in his mouth built.

For all Hisame knew, he had just caused the death of his best friend.

Garon sat inside his quiet little cell with a displeased look on his face. Directly in front of him stood two massive, golden doors that led to the center of Kamui's subconscious. If he could just get in there, he would be able to forcefully take control of Kamui's body and rain havoc across the land. Unfortunately for him, Kamui had taken the necessary steps of locking his deepest fear in a cell, so that wasn't happening anytime soo-.

A bolt of lightning that struck the door to Garon's cell said otherwise. The door was blown off its hinge while sparks flew through the air.

Something must've happened in the waking world. Something that shook Kamui to the point where his grip over his deepest fear was weakened.

Garon cackled with glee as he stomped out of his cage, cracked his massive knuckles as he strode up the torchlit stairs, then stood before the double doors. He punched the doors open and entered the main room where Kamui sat on a throne. His eyes were shut, and his body was slumped over like a sleeping infant.

"Perfect," Garon mumbled to himself as he walked to the throne. He lifted Kamui's limp body out of the chair and tossed him to the side like a sack of discarded vegetables.

Garon let out a deep laugh as he rested his back into the throne and began his plan to rule the waking world. His plan would start with destroying Kamui's army from the inside, then go on until he ruled all three kingdoms.

Ryoma breathed a sigh of relief as Kamui opened his eyes, then immediately retracted his happiness when Kamui lifted the King into the air. "Kamui! What are you-" He felt nothing but panic as Kamui effortlessly lifted him high above the ground.

"It's good to be back!" A growling voice echoed out of Kamui, and the whites of his eyes were now purple. Kamui threw Ryoma across the field and watched as he tumbled along the grass. Garon was absolutely delighted by how quick and nimble this new body was, and he deemed he needed to give it a test run.

Xander stomped onto the field and looked down at Kamui. He knew that voice; it was a voice he had learned to respect and fear at the same time.

"Garon?!" Xander came to two possible conclusions. Either Kamui was a master of imitating other voices, or Garon had just possessed Kamui.

"Who else would it be, idiot?" Garon laughed as he started to sprint toward Xander. "Looks like Kamui here couldn't keep his nightmares locked up, so now I get to take his body!" A crazed look flashed in Kamui's eyes as he swung his fist into Xander's stomach.

Xander doubled over in pain while Garon kicked his bare foot into Xander's gut. "You think you can succeed me with this flabby body of yours?" Garon felt like a child in a candy store; he could eliminate not one, but _both_ of the royal families right here and right now.

Garon was interrupted by a gloved hand wrapping around the back of his neck. He grunted in pain and turned around to see Camilla lifting him into the air by Kamui's neck. Her purple locks of hair were almost covering her face due to the rain. "Camilla?! Unhand me this instan-" He was interrupted by Camilla tightening her grip and blocking his air flow as a result. His neck didn't feel as though it were being crushed, but that Camilla was restraining herself.

"Get." Camilla swung her other fist into his face. Pure anger was seething out of her every word. "The hell." She punched him in the jaw again. She desperately didn't want to punch Kamui, but she knew it had to be done now that he was apparently possessed. "Out of." She threw Garon to the ground and sat atop him. She drew her fist back. "My _brother!_ " Camilla landed her fist directly into Garon's head and knocked him out cold. Ryoma ran to her side and bent down to Kamui, who unconsciously laid on the ground.

"What just happened?" He asked as he panted for breath. Camilla felt exhausted as well.

"I don't know. But what I do know," Camilla got off of Kamui's unmoving body and lifted him over her shoulder. "Is that Kamui needs a doctor."

Only one thing was in Camilla and Ryoma's thoughts: a concern for their brother.

* * *

Looks like Garon's back in business, because I needed a crummy way to shoehorn him back into the story.


	14. Chapter Fourteen: The Castle of Conquest

The Castle of Conquest

* * *

The interior of the infirmary had a tangy, bleak smell of despair as both royal families gazed onto the bed Kamui rested on. He looked rather peaceful with his eyes shut and his hands crossed over his chest.

Caeldori burst through the front door with a panicked look.

"What… Happened…?" She doubled over and panted for breath as she looked to Ryoma, who seemed incredibly troubled.

Ryoma explained everything; how Hisame had tried to take Kamui's life, how Kamui jumped in the way before Ryoma could dispatch the traitorous Hisame, and how Garon was seemingly now in control of Kamui's body. Caeldori felt her gut sink when she realized that she had caused this.

"This is all my fault… If I hadn't told Hisame about my love for Kamui, this wouldn't have occurred." Caeldori's voice grew quiet as she stared at Kamui, who was as inanimate as a rock. Ryoma patted her on the shoulder in a reassuring way.

"There's no way you could've predicted this. Besides, Kamui is still alive." Caeldori's eyes lit up the instant Ryoma stopped talking. "We just need to find out how to save him.

"This is… absolutely bizarre..." Nyx finished her examination of Kamui and stood upright. Her disinterested voice was gone completely, and in its place were actual emotions. "Kamui's fear of Garon is so powerful that it grew a mind of its own..."

"How do you know that?" Leo -who was currently in the midst of inner turmoil- used his snarkily defensive voice when spoke.

"Why else would he be speaking in Garon's voice and attacking his family?" Nyx shot him a glare before flipping through the pages of her dusty tome. "Ryoma, do you know what you just did?"

"N-No, I do not." Ryoma stood up straight and attempted to sound resolute; the crack in his voice said otherwise.

"Your sword shocked Kamui into a catatonic state, and now his sentient fear of Garon has complete control over his body." Nyx gazed out at the families and saw the blank stares; she let out a sigh. "Garon is now in control of Kamui's body."

"Oh." Sakura and Elise responded in low voices.

"Thankfully, Camilla here knocked him unconscious, but we have a limited amount of time before Garon wakes up." Nyx resumed her examination of Kamui's motionless body.

"What happens if fath-. I mean, what happens if Kamui's fear of Garon wakes up?" Camilla leaned over the sleeping prince. She -like her brothers and sister- also sounded very concerned.

"He'll resume doing what he does best; wreaking havoc." Nyx spoke. "However, we still have one hope. If we send someone into Kamui's dreams, they might be able to destroy Kamui's fear and bring him back." Everyone expected Nyx to crack a smile and start laughing, given how ridiculous that sounded. "I only have the ability to send someone in. Do we have any volunteers?"

Caeldori came to the conclusion that this was her mess, and she needed to clean it up.

"I will." Everyone turned to face the red-haired woman with a look of shock. Caeldori stepped up to Kamui's side and looked down to Nyx's eye level. "Send me in there."

Nyx didn't even bother giving Caeldori a shocked look.

"Alright. You know how dangerous the inner recesses of the mind are, right?" Her eyebrow was slightly raised. "Should you meet your demise in there, you'll perish in the living world."

"I have to save him." Caeldori looked incredibly stoic, and her voice perfectly matched her demeanor.

"As you wish." Nyx raised her hand before Caeldori remembered something and backed up.

"Wait! I can use the locket!" Caeldori beamed as she clasped the locket around her neck. She tossed it into the sky, but was surprised to find it fall down back to her hands with no divine flash of light.

"Kamui's fear is too powerful for myself to destroy. I will return your wish so you can use it at a later time." The Temple God spoke inside Caeldori's thoughts as she placed the locket around her neck.

"Okay, looks like I'm going in there." Caeldori didn't notice that everyone in the infirmary was incredibly confused as to why Caeldori threw the locket in the air, then acted as though something was speaking to her.

"Well, that was anticlimactic…" Sakura let out a sigh as she watched Nyx wave her hand in front of Caeldori. A purple haze emanated from her palms, and Caeldori swore that she smelt the fragrance of lilacs before she passed out.

Strong gusts of wind lashed at Caeldori's face while she fell. All around her were vast expanses of the color white, and a strange feeling of uneasiness permeated the air. She would have to examine her surroundings later, as she currently was free-falling towards the bleached ground.

She let out a scream and shut her eyes before she hit the ground, and waited with a pause as the wind felt still. Caeldori opened her eyes and saw that the ground was directly in front of her, but she wasn't falling. She gazed to her feet and saw that she was currently standing on the ceiling of a white room.

Furniture lined the area, and all of it was upside-down and on the ceiling (the floor) from Caeldori's current perspective. Her focus turned to an exit, and even more white space was beyond that. She stepped past the chandelier and reached the door. She had to pull herself through it, as it wasn't touching the ceiling she stood on.

She tumbled into the next room and stood up. She was now rightside-down on the floor, and a fountain was in the middle of this large interior; it was as motionless as everything else. Caeldori noted that the water pouring out of it was suspended in the air, almost like a painting of sorts.

"Hey, miss, are you here for Kamui?" A child-like voice caught her attention. Caeldori turned her gaze to see an infant with red hair poke her head out from behind the fountain. She had a short-ish ponytail, and Caeldori swore that she recognized her face from somewhere.

"Are you… Me?" Caeldori asked.

"Yep! I'm the subkonschiou-" The girl paused her explanation and pressed a finger to her lips. "I'm Kamui's memory of you as a little girl."

"Ah, I see." Caeldori sat down; the young version of her sat down as well. "Where am I?"

"You're in the place where we keep all of Kamui's memories. We don't care if they're good or bad." The little girl wiggled her feet while smiling. "So, you probably wanna see Kamui, right? 'Cause if you do, he's in that big, spooky castle that showed up an hour ago."

"How do you know he's in there?" Caeldori raised her eyebrow and began to ponder if she really looked this cute when she was six-years-old.

"Kamui and I have a brain connection or something. I think it's cause he likes you so much, but I can tell where he is in this dream place." The little girl gave Caeldori an adorable smile as she pointed to a nearby window. Caeldori walked to the window and peered out of it.

A massive black tower stood against the purple backdrop of the sky, and it went straight down instead of going up. All the clouds in the sky were pitch black, and the sun was now a purple symbol of the Nohrian Kingdom. Orange lights were in the windows of the castle, and a bridge connected Kamui's memory banks to the building. Caeldori was in awe of this magnificent building, so it took her a while to notice that someone was tugging at her feet.

"Miss, do you have to go now?" The little girl asked. She looked rather sad.

Caeldori pulled her head back into the white interior and gave a tender smile to the girl.

"Yes, Caeldori. I have to go into that castle and rescue Kamui." She patted the girl on the head affectionately. "Will you be alright?"

"Yeah, it's just that I don't like being here alone. Kamui always comes here with the memory of you as an adult, and you two play games with me whenever he sleeps in the real world."

Caeldori squatted down next to the little girl and gave her a hug.

"I promise you that I'll bring Kamui back." Caeldori spoke in a tender tone. She stood up, waved to the girl, and exited toward the castle.

The sound of Caeldori's feet pressing against the tiling of the bridge filled the never-ending silence as she as she walked along the walkway. The path twisted and flipped onto its back at the halfway point to the tower, which Caeldori only noticed after she stared down at the ground, which was where the sky should be. She expected her hair to be falling down, given that she was currently upside-down, but her locks remained at her waist.

Caeldori got to the entrance to the tower and stared directly at a pair of massive, onyx-colored doors. She placed both of her hands on the rightmost gate and dug her feet into the stone ground as she pushed. A loud groaning sound ensued as the door slowly opened, and Caeldori stepped in.

The chill from the outside was gone, and in its place was a sense of dread as she looked around the foyer of the castle. The walls were lined with red velvet, and whoever chose the interior decorations must have loved the color black. At first, Caeldori couldn't pinpoint what that fowl stench was, but then she began to realize. This place smelled like it hadn't been touched in years.

A large golden staircase led up to the second floor, and all the other doors on this floor were shut tight. She gazed up and noted that all the other floors consisted of only balconies, and each balcony led to another staircase to an upper level.

The sound of a child giggling broke the silence.

"Kamui, get back here!" A voice called out from above. Caeldori sprinted up the staircase and to the second floor before she noticed two people running around the upper hallway. One of them was a small child that wore blue pajamas. The other looked like a blond sixteen-year-old wearing a black vest.

"You'll never make me go to bed, Xander!" The child called out in delight as Xander grew closer and closer. Caeldori noticed that the blond prince's face was dotted with pimples.

She also noticed that the two brothers were about to run into her. Or, were going to run into her, as they phased right through her body without reacting.

Xander finally caught up to Kamui and lifted him off the ground while he kicked his feet and whined. "I don't wanna go to bed!"

"And I don't want to be a king. Looks like we both are not getting what we want." Xander had a very tired look on his face as he clutched his nine-year-old brother against his chest. He walked back towards Caeldori and again phased through her; he didn't even react and continued along his way until he entered a room to his left.

Another sound broke the silence while Caeldori was processing this new information. Not the sound of joy, but rather the sound of someone crying. She followed the wails up to the third floor and into a room on her left.

Kamui, who looked a few years older, was laying down on his bed and moaning.

"I miss Silas!" He cried. "I want him back!" He sniffled at infrequent intervals.

A figure sat on the bed next to him and patted him on the back in an affectionate manner.

"It's okay, Kamui." Camilla smiled at him; Caeldori swore that she was wearing Beruka's armor. "I promise that you'll see your friend again."

Kamui continued to wail into a pillow, and Camilla shook her head slowly as she left the room. Caeldori followed her and discovered Camilla and Xander talking in the hallway.

"Did you tell him that he has to return to the Northern Fortress tomorrow?" Xander asked; his face was noticeably cleaner than before.

"He's already heartbroken; I don't think telling him that we won't see him for another year will help that." Camilla shot him a glare before walking with him into another room.

Yet another sound broke the silence, again. Caeldori followed it up to the fourth floor and into a room; the area looked identical to the room downstairs.

Kamui sat on his bed with an open book in his hands while a girl and a boy sat on the floor.

" 'The king let out a mighty roar as the false dragon lay defeated at his feet.' " Kamui read aloud. " ' "This will teach you for messing with Nohr!" The king chided the fallen dragon. He loosened his grip on his sword and walked over to his wife. "Oh, Garon! Your chest hair is so magnificent!" His wife swooned as she fell into his arms. ' "

Caeldori noted that the cover of the book was titled 'The Absolutely True Stories of How King Garon Brought Peace to Our World' .

Caeldori's heart skipped a beat as Camilla phased through her and into the room.

"Bedtime, my precious little angels…" She lifted the sleeping blond girl onto her shoulder and held the hand of the blond boy. Caeldori noticed that she was wearing her renowned 'revealing' armor. "Thank you for reading to them, Kamui." She walked over and kissed Kamui on the cheek; his face turned a flush shade of pink.

Caeldori exited the room and looked down the hallway. Across all the floors, there were versions of the Nohrian Royals and Kamui. Some groups were very young, and some groups were almost identical to their counterparts in the real world.

She shifted her eyes up and noticed that the ceiling was directly in front of her, yet a staircase still led up to the next floor.

" _Kamui must be around here somewhere…_ " She thought as she leaned over the balcony.

As she walked up the stairs, she came to a single room with eight sides. All the walls of the room were dark purple, and the only object in the room was a ladder. Caeldori looked up and noticed that the ladder stretched to the top of the room, which she could not see from the floor.

Caeldori began to climb up the cold rungs of the wooden ladder and continued climbing. The only sound in the room was her hands pressing against the climbing device.

She continued to climb until her hands felt like they were actually on fire. Another minute of Caeldori grunting in annoyance passed until she noticed a sign to her left. "What a thrill." She read the sign aloud, then resumed climbing. Another sign caught her attention. "In darkness and sorrow, through the night."

After five minutes of climbing, Caeldori could see the ceiling to the room, and felt a massive wave of relief wash over her as she pulled herself to a ledge. Before her was a short hallway, and to her left was one final sign that had notes etched onto it. " 'Note to self, shorten the height of this room. - Kamui' ." The sign also had the symbol of a snake eating itself underneath the note.

Caeldori let out a sigh as she turned her focus away from the sign and to the staircase before her at the end of the corridor. "Why couldn't that ladder just be a staircase?" She mumbled to herself as she walked through the hallway and up the next flight of stairs.

At the top of the staircase was an open doorframe that led to a pitch-black room. Caeldori entered the vast expanse of darkness and squinted at a light source in the distance. She strode toward the luminescent object until she was right in front of it.

Before her stood a glowing, blue tree that grew multicolored orbs on its branches. The left half of the tree resembled a wilting oak, and the right half looked like a flowering cherry blossom tree.

The sound of someone snoring caught Caeldori's attention. She walked around the tree to discover someone sleeping in a chair against the tree. This slumbering person wore a white dress and had long, brown hair.

"Huh?" The person opened her eyes and smiled at Caeldori. "Oh, hello there. My name is Mikoto."

Caeldori's red eyes widened with respect as she clasped her hands and bowed to the queen.

"It's an honor to be in your divine presence, Queen Mikoto. I've heard so much about you from my studies in Hoshidan history." Caeldori had a never-ending amount of respect for Queen Mikoto, who had been described as a paragon of justice and peace to all her subjects.

"Oh, please, you can drop the formalities." Mikoto gave Caeldori a rather motherly smile as she stood up from her chair. "You're probably wondering where exactly you are, right?"

"Uh, yes. Where are we?" Caeldori raised her eyebrow as she looked to the tree behind Mikto.

"This," Mikoto turned around and grabbed one of the apple-like fruits off the the left side of the tree and held it in the palm of her hand. "This is where Kamui's most special memories are kept. Here, look in the center of this orb."

Caeldori bent down and gazed into the center of the fruit, then watched as the colors inside swirled around like rushing water. The movements began to slow, and a face with blond hair was revealed.

"Is that Elise?" Caeldori continued to stare at the fruit while Mikoto pulled it back.

"Yes, it is." Mikoto raised the orb to her face and looked into it. "Here, let me summon her." She pressed her finger to the center of the fruit and watched as mist began to emanate out of the orb.

The mist began to coalesce until it resembled a humanoid figure with blond ponytails.

"Hi, lady Mikoto! Do you need anything?" Elise asked with her room-brightening smile.

"Why yes, dear, I do need something." Mikoto bent down and met Elise's eye level. "I'm feeling simply parched, and a spot of tea would do nicely."

"Sure thing, Mikoto." Elise pressed her pointer fingers to her forehead and began to squint her eyes. She let out a long groan -as though she were carrying a massive rock- and suddenly, a glass appeared before her. "Man do I love dream powers!" Elise beamed as she handed the glass to Mikoto.

"Why, thank you dear." Mikoto patted Elise on the head and took a sip of the tea. "Darn that's some good tea." She handed the glass back to Elise, then looked to Caeldori. "Regardless, Kamui should be in the throne room, which is over there." She pointed to a large, open doorway at the other end of the room. "Before you go, I know everything Kamui knows, so feel free to ask any questions you want answered."

"Okay," Caeldori pondered what exactly she should ask. "Why did Kamui reject my romantic advances until two weeks ago?"

"The answer to that…" Mikoto looked to the top of the tree and raised her arm. A single, red fruit stood atop the tree and floated down. "Is because he viewed you as a child." The inside of the red fruit swirled around until the image of six-year-old Caeldori was inside it.

"Because of my deeprealm?" Caeldori asked.

"Yes." Mikoto began to pull a mist-like substance out of the fruit, which formed itself into an exact replica of Caeldori. "However, now he views you as an adult. If I had to guess why he had a change of heart," Mikoto and the Caeldori replica cracked a smile. "I think your repeated attempts finally got to him."

"That's good to hear." Caeldori couldn't help but smile as well, then began walking to the exit. "Thank you for the information." Caeldori turned around and faced Mikoto. She noticed that both of the royal families were now at her side and smiling.

"The pleasure is all mine." Mikoto waved to Caeldori, who exited the room.

Caeldori found herself in a cold, spacious foyer, and before she could even move, a loud, ominous sound broke the silence.

It was the sound of an organ that shook the area like an earthquake.

Caeldori listened closely as the organ played seven notes, then ended with nine tones. The music repeated itself, which only added to her sense of dread as she felt an ominous feeling permeate the air. Her gaze turned to a staircase in the middle of the room, and opposite the staircase was a prison cell.

She cautiously walked to the cell and inspected it. It was rather large, and the gray colors all blended together to make it look very dull. The door to the cell was currently laying on the floor and singing the carpet.

Caeldori turned her focus to a large, golden door that stood at the top of the staircase; the symbol from the sky was etched onto it. The sounds of the organ echoed from beyond the gate, and now a choir was chanting along with it. She slowly walked up to the door, gazed with a worried look at the pair of lit torches, and placed both hands on the barrier. She heaved it open and stepped inside.

The notes from the organ stopped the instant her foot entered the massive throne room, and the choir became silent.

"It's rude to keep a king waiting, you know." A man spoke with a gruff voice as he hunched over a massive wooden organ.

Caeldori's eyes were drawn from the man to a floating, purple crystal that rotated in the sky. Inside the crystal was someone who she was determined to free from their prison.

Kamui.

* * *

To be continued in chapter fifteen, because that chapter is really, really long.

(Also, yes, I know that Corrin canonically grew up in the Northern Fortress. I just thought it'd be more thematic if Garon was in Castle Krakenburg rather than some old fortress.)


	15. Chapter Fifteen: A Family Reunion

A Family Reunion

Author's note: I greatly recommend listening to the song _Adventure's End_ from _Dream Team_ when you read the line "So get the _hell_ out of my way!"

I also greatly recommend listening to the song _Family_ from _Super Mario Galaxy_ when Selena dreams of a book.

* * *

A looming silence filled the air as Caeldori waited with baited breath for the man to do something.

"Silence is exceptionally rude as well." The man spoke.

"Who are you?" Caeldori asked as her heart began to beat faster and faster.

The man turned around and revealed his face; Caeldori immediately recognized it from her textbooks on Nohrian history. "You're… Garon..." Her voice became faint; all her studies told her that this man was an unstoppable force of destruction and chaos.

"Close. I'm how Kamui perceives him. His deepest nightmare, if you will." Garon said as he looked down at the red-haired woman opposing him.

"Listen, just let my friend and I leave this place, and I won't harm you." Caeldori figured that maybe violence could be averted. Unfortunately, she was not dealing with a king who respected logic and due process.

She was dealing with a king whose entire kingdom had been founded over one concept: bloodshed.

"He looks rather peaceful in there, so I think I shall keep him as a trophy." Garon snapped his fingers again, and the crystal rose until Caeldori could no longer see it.

"Why are you doing this?" Caeldori's voice rose in frustration.

"Because, child, I wish to own Kamui's body. With him out of the way, nothing is stopping me from wresting control over him. I could destroy his entire army from the inside, and nobody would know." Garon's tone was exceptionally cold. "But, I suppose you don't want that to happen."

In the blink of an eye, Garon plunged his fist into the large organ and pulled an ax out of the instrument. The organ shattered to pieces like a fallen house of cards. The ax had a gold tint to it, and it looked like it had recently been polished. Before Caeldori could even process what had just happened, the maniacal king was upon her.

Garon's massive figure loomed over her as he swung his clenched fist towards her jaw. She dove out of the way and scrambled to her feet. "Odd. Normally, that works." Garon tightened his grip on his ax. "I suppose you enjoy doing things the hard way."

"What kind of one-sided duel is this, anyway? I don't even have a weapon!" Caeldori attempted to reason with the king. He tilted his head back and let out a hearty laugh.

"The kind of duel where I win." Garon paused his laughter and charged the girl. He swung his massive ax towards her, and she nimbly jumped over it. While she was mid-leap, Garon's massive hand grabbed her by the neck and held her above the air. "Stand still and fight, worm!" He lifted her above the ground and laughed uncontrollably as she struggled for air.

"Caeldori!" A voice shook the ground like an earthquake. Caeldori gazed up and noted the purple crystal had descended, and Kamui was now awake. He raised his hands and summoned a bolt of lightning that struck Garon.

The king was knocked back and lost his grip on Caeldori, who scrambled until she was at a safe distance from the king. "Take this!" Kamui spoke as he raised his hands again. A silver naginata materialized in Caeldori's hands.

"Insolent child!" Garon yelled as he clenched his open palm. Kamui let out a wail of pain while he shut his eyes, and his prison rose out of view. "The nerve of that boy…" Garon looked to his side, which gave Caeldori the chance she needed to strike.

She leaped into the air with a scream and slashed the end of her spear across the king's pale face. He let out a loud grunt as he clutched the side of his head. Blood soaked his black fingers.

"This scenery bores me!" He spoke before he rose off his feet. Caeldori watched in terror as Garon rose to the center of the throne room and outstretched his arms. The entire area turned black, except for a crimson Nohrian symbol shining with an ominous glow behind Garon.

Caeldori watched with anticipation as the symbol disappeared, and the pitch-black scenery changed into a familiar location; a location that she had spent eighteen years growing up in. This was her deeprealm.

The setting sun was partially covered by the log cabin that stood behind Garon, and Caeldori felt a warm breeze waft by. "I'm going to break you, child. Little by little, piece by piece, until the only thing you can perceive will be the sound of your own _screams_." Garon spoke as he slowly approached Caeldori. She took the advantage and slashed at his armor.

Her naginata bounced off his armor as if she had struck stone, and Garon relished the look of confused fear in her eyes. Caeldori struck again, and for the second time, her blade rebounded off his breastplate.

Caeldori paused while she drew her weapon back, and glanced up in fear at the twisted smile on the king's face. Garon pulled his fist back, clenched his fingers, and struck Caeldori directly in the gut.

Caeldori was launched backward and sailed through the air before colliding with a tree. Intense pain shot through her body as she wailed.

Outside Kamui's mind, Selena leaned over her sleeping daughter and felt her heart skip a beat when Caeldori let out a moan.

"What's going on in there?" Her tone sounded rather frantic as she grabbed Nyx by the shoulders.

"I have no idea! Something in there is too strong for Caeldori to handle!" Nyx's eyes were shifting their focus around the room until they calmed down. "We need to send someone to her aid." Caeldori was currently writhing in the bed.

Without saying a word, Selena nodded and stood next to the bed where Kamui and Caeldori rested. Nyx walked to her side and raised her palm to Selena's face. She unfurled her hand and released a cloud of purple mist into Selena's eyes. The red-haired woman stumbled briefly before collapsing onto the bed.

Caeldori huddled against a tree in fear as Garon stomped through the forest. After a long, agonizing wait, he discovered her.

"There you are." His voice was rather cold as he grabbed her by the arm. Caeldori lost any sense of motivation as her face brushed against the dirt while Garon dragged her out of the forest like a dead animal.

The king released her arm from his frigid grip and walked forward. Caeldori slowly got to her feet and grabbed her weapon with both hands before coughing dirt out of her mouth.

"What's wrong with you?" She spoke in between coughs.

Garon ignored her question completely as he rose into the air. He repeated the same ritual from before, and now Caeldori found herself in the forests of Izumo. Garon landed on his feet while Sakura trees swayed in the distance, and moonlight reflected off his black armor.

"Let us see how you handle… this." Garon snapped his fingers and took a step back as purple smoke began to materialize before him.

A large, green monstrosity emerged from the smoke and let out a blood-curdling roar. A brown mask with holes adorned its 'face', and its arms were bound to its chest with metallic chains. The faceless let out another muffled cry and shattered the chains that kept its hands tied, and Caeldori noticed that it was about twice her height. "Break her!" Garon yelled while the faceless began to charge Caeldori.

She turned around and stumbled towards the forest while her heart beated in her ears. The sound of the monster's footsteps grew closer and closer, and Caeldori could practically feel its cold breath on her shoulders. She felt like a fox outrunning an army of bloodhounds.

Caeldori was yanked backward by her clothing and pulled backward. The faceless pulled its head closer to hers and let out a scream as it wrapped its free hand around her body. It stomped back towards the entrance to the forest with her in tow.

Garon stood imposingly with his ax brandished and reflecting the moonlight. Caeldori felt as though this was the end for her, and watched as the faceless pressed her body to the ground. "Well done." Garon clapped slowly. "You may go now, faceless." He spoke before pressing his foot onto Caeldori's back.

The faceless disappeared into a puff of smoke, and Caeldori felt Garon's cold, metallic shoe press her body on the ground. The king leaned over her and relished the look of pure terror in her eyes. "You're going to perish here." He said.

Caeldori let out a whimper as he wrapped his cold fingers around her neck; Garon lifted her off the ground. "But first, let's see how you survive dropping off into the Bottomless Cany-"

Before Garon could finish that statement, a figure leaped into the air and struck Garon across the jaw with its fist. He reeled backward in shock and dropped Caeldori to the ground. She scrambled away from the mad king and towards the figure who had just saved her life.

"Mother?!" Caeldori's eyes widened as her mother's two ponytails flapped in the wind.

"Get away from my daughter, you pig!" Caeldori felt a calming embrace as she wrapped her hands around her mother's frame. Selena patted her daughter on the back. "It's okay, mother's here now…"

"Ah, Camilla's insufferable retainer. How nice of you to join us." Garon cracked his neck and settled his gaze on Selena. His tone was rather indifferent about the current affairs.

Caeldori pulled her head out of her mother's embrace and threw Garon a menacing stare.

"It's two-on-one, Garon. Just give up." Her tone was exceptionally cold, which surprised Selena.

"You think I became a king by surrendering?" Garon laughed before he rose into the air. For the third time in a row, he changed the scenery into another familiar location.

"Why are we in the mess hall?" Selena looked around in a confused manner at the tables covered with plates.

"He has this thing with changing the scenery to Kamui's memories," Caeldori stated before clutching her spear. "But that doesn't matter."

Unfortunately, the scenery did matter, as Garon lifted a table above his head as if it were a pebble, and hurled it towards Selena and Caeldori. They both dove out of the way, rolled on the ground, and landed back on their feet.

"Just stay still, cowards!" Garon yelled as he grabbed another desk. His focus was entirely on the counter, which gave Selena an opportunity to strike.

"Let's get this over with!" Selena let out an animal-like scream as she drew her blade. She leaped over a table and slashed her blade in a horizontal manner across Garon's visage.

The king yelled in pain as he doubled back. He writhed in pain as he clutched his head. He removed his bloodied fingers back from his head, and Caeldori noticed that his left eyelid was now shut and covered with blood.

"I could kill you with my eyes closed!" Garon began to charge Caeldori, who promptly ran out of the mess hall. Selena ran after the two into the moonlit training yard outside and watched as Caeldori sprinted away from the king, who was chasing her like a wolf chasing a rabbit.

An idea began to form in Selena's mind, and she began to enact it when she placed herself directly in Caeldori's path.

"Caeldori, vault off of me!" She placed her open hands down on the ground. Caeldori and Garon grew closer and closer.

"Get back here!" Garon swung his arms up and down in a rhythmic manner as he shortened the distance between himself and that insufferable girl.

Caeldori placed her feet atop her mother's open palms and was vaulted directly into the air. Selena dove out of the way and watched as Caeldori aimed her spear downward and at the back of Garon's neck.

The king let out a wail of pain as he felt a spear wedge itself into his back. Caeldori gripped onto her naginata for dear life, as the spear continued to stay lodged into Garon. She was suspended above the ground as Garon attempted to shake her off. "Get off of me!" He screamed as he grabbed the naginata behind him. Garon grunted in pain as he slid the spear out of his back and tossed it towards Selena like a child discarding a broken toy.

He expected Caeldori to still be holding onto the spear as it sailed through the air, but instead she was directly behind him.

"Got you now!" Caeldori spoke loudly before clinging onto his neck. She held onto his back for dear life as he thrashed around like a spooked pegasus, and she moved her hands up to his eyes.

Garon cried out in pain as Caeldori moved her thumbs over his eyes in an attempt to gouge them out. He jerked his hand towards her neck and grabbed her by the jugular.

He pulled Caeldori off his back and held her above the air while glaring menacingly with only one eye.

"You are such a _pest!_ " Garon spoke before hurling Caeldori towards Selena, who watched all of this unfold from the sidelines.

Caeldori screamed as she hurled through the air. Wind lashed her face as she closed her eyes and braced for impact. Selena positioned herself in the trajectory of her daughter and bent her knees. She waited, and felt as though a rock hit her in the chest when Caeldori collided with her.

Selena's feet brushed up against the ground as she was propelled backward. She firmly held onto Caeldori's frame until she stopped moving. The spot where Selena was had marks on the ground that lead to where she was now tightly holding her daughter.

"I've got you." She spoke gently before helping Caeldori onto her feet.

"Thank you," Caeldori spoke before giving her mother an affectionate stare.

The sound of Garon yelling broke the touching moment, and their attention was drawn to the floating king. Again -as if he enjoyed doing it- the scenery transformed, but now it was something the two had never seen before.

Vast expanses of green meadows stretched out in every direction, and the entire landscape was flat. Garon stood underneath the shining sun and gazed toward the blue sky above. He raised his arm and snapped his fingers. A large purple crystal descended from the sky.

"Kamui!" Selena called out as she noticed who was encased in the crystal.

"Not a single step further, or the boy gets his spine crushed." Garon's voice had regained its cold, calculating nature as he raised his open palm to the sky. Caeldori and Selena glared at the king, but they made no intention of moving. "That's what I thought," Garon spoke before clenching his fist into a ball.

"No!" Caeldori screamed as green energy floated out of Kamui and into Garon. Kamui wailed in agony as Garon began to laugh. He continued to laugh, even while he started to grow. Only when he had stopped enlarging and was now the size of a castle, he stopped his laughter.

"Your bonds made you weak!" Garon's voice boomed as he slowly brought his massive foot over Selena and Caeldori. Before he could stomp them out of existence, his foot was thrown backward from an unknown force.

Caeldori had tossed her amulet towards the foot, and it was now projecting a blue bubble that enveloped her and her mother.

"What do you desire?" the Temple God boomed, which startled Selena.

"Please," Caeldori spoke with a soft, frail voice. "Give us the strength to fight that monster…"

"As you wish." The voice spoke before the locket exploded into a blinding flash of light. Garon attempted to stomp the two again and again, but every attempt was fruitless against the blue bubble. Caeldori and Selena shielded their eyes from the flash of light, and began to doubt whether they would survive this.

Subaki leaned over his sleeping wife while a sense of dread built inside his body. He knew that Selena and Caeldori would be victorious, because they were _his_ family. There was no way that they could lose. Selena would never lose. Never.

Or could she? Maybe she and Caeldori had met their match. Maybe they were not going to make it.

Regardless, Subaki got to his knees and leaned over Selena.

"Please come back safe..." Subaki murmured to his unconscious wife as he held her cold hand in his palms.

He began to wish for the safety of his wife and child; both of which he loved dearly.

A single house stood outside the Ylissean Castle, and inside the house, a man sat at a table. He was busy reading a book while cradling his infant daughter on his lap, when his wife emerged from the front doorway.

"Hey, Robin." Cordelia wore a straw and had a plucked radish in her hand. "Did you just feel a wave of… I don't know how to describe it… dread?" Her eyes gave him a worried look while he stood up. Robin held Severa against his shoulder and squinted his eyes at the sunlight pouring in from the window.

"What are you talking about?" The very instant Robin stopped talking, he shuddered as a wave of negative thoughts flew into his mind. All of a sudden, he started to worry about Severa; the one who had left their house about two years ago. "Oh, what in Naga's name was that?"

"I don't know." Cordelia stood before him and had a concerned look in her eyes. Like her husband, she also felt incredibly concerned about her daughter's well-being.

"Wherever Severa is, I just hope that she's doing alright." Robin placed his hand on Cordelia's shoulder as they huddled together.

They began to wish for the safety of their daughter, who they loved dearly.

"Are we there yet?" Yarne whined as he fought the urge to fall flat on his face. Sweat trickled down his forehead, and he cursed his fur coat as the sun beared down on him.

"Not yet, honey." Morgan chided him as she scanned the mountain range in the distance. She had always wanted to go hiking, and today was the day that she told Yarne they were going to go surmount the tallest mountain in Breakneck Pass, so she had no idea why he waited until now to complain.

Suddenly, what felt like an arrow of pure emotions shot through her as she hunched over.

"You okay?" Yarne asked as he hurried to her side and helped her stand.

"Y… Yeah, I'll be fine." She sounded rather faint as a single word made itself the center of her thoughts. " _Severa…_ "

Morgan fell to her knees and couldn't stop thinking about Severa. She desperately wanted to know if her sister was okay, and it troubled her as to why she was having these thoughts.

She began to wish for the safety of her sister, who she loved dearly.

As Caeldori and her mother watched in fear while Garon attempted to break their barrier, they felt a comforting wave of relief wash over them. They weren't sure where it came from, but it almost felt as though people who cared for them were hoping for their safety.

Confidence practically flowed through Selena's veins as she yelled out to Kamui.

"Hey, Kamui! There's a time for sleeping on the job, and there's a time for action! We really need your help right now!" She yelled at the top of her lungs to the floating crystal.

Through some sheer force of willpower, Kamui fought against his glass prison and opened his eyes.

"Selena…" He spoke in a tired and slow voice. "Use… the last of my power…"

The prince raised his hands, and green energy flowed out of the crystal and into Selena. She felt extreme power course through her veins as Kamui shut his eyes.

An idea floated into her mind. Maybe, just maybe, she could fight Kamui's deepest fear with her own deepest fear.

She would need to summon _him_.

The barrier protecting Selena and Caeldori broke after Garon's fiftieth attempt to destroy it, and he laughed with glee as he slowly lowered his foot toward Selena and Caeldori.

"Today is the day when I gain control over Kamui's body, and the day when I squash a pair of insignificant _bugs_!"

Unfortunately for Garon, he failed to notice that Selena had risen into the air and summoned a massive, purple flower directly behind Garon.

The sound of a monster screeching caught Garon's attention, and he turned around to see a purple flower furled into a ball.

Frigid air blasted Selena and Caeldori as a massive, purple dragon emerged from the blossom. It flapped its six wings, which caused the grass to wave, and its six beady eyes shifted around like an arachnid.

"What in the name of Anankos are you?!" Garon was exceptionally surprised by how macabre this dragon looked.

Grima had only one goal: to kill Severa and finish what he had started. Fortunately for him, it looked as though someone else wanted to kill his prey. "You would be wise to leave me alone so I can kill these pests." Garon spoke, and he thought that maybe the dragon could be an ally.

Unfortunately for Garon, he was dealing with an apocalyptic monster who had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

"You think you can kill those two?" Grima's jaw unhinged, and he began to let out a child-like laugh. "Friend, I've been trying for _years_ to kill that girl, and now it looks like she just summoned me here! So I'm not gonna let some wrinkly, beat-up king from a dying country stop me from finishing my job!"

"Dying?! The proud country of Nohr will never falte-" Garon attempted to speak, then noticed that Grima was rearing his long, serpentine neck back.

"Just shut up already!" Grima unleashed an ear-splitting roar, and his six eyes lit up like a searchlight. "THAT GIRL IS MINE! SO GET THE _HELL_ OUT OF MY WAY!"

Garon covered his ears from the roar and lowered his defenses. Grima took the opportunity to quickly spiral through the air and ram Garon in the stomach. His mighty horns pierced his chest like an arrow cutting through paper. Garon let out a yell as he grabbed the massive dragon by the horns, and pulled him out of his chest. He tightly held Grima by the horns, and he began to spin around in place. The mere action of these two giants spinning around sent wind rushing against Caeldori and Selena, who watched from afar.

Garon stopped his spinning when he released his hold of Grima's horns and watched as the dragon was hurled through the air. Grima screeched in an ear-wrenching manner before hitting the ground, then skidded along the surface before he stopped. He began to flap its wings, and he rose into the air and unhinged his massive jaw like a serpent. Purple flames began to build inside his throat, and he unleashed a gigantic fireball towards the king, who attempted to block the projectile with his arms. Garon was knocked onto his back from the strength of the blast, and Grima flew towards the fallen king.

Garon slowly got to his feet before the dragon could reach him. He raised his hand skyward, and a portal materialized in front of him. Nohrian soldiers poured out of the gate until an entire army had assembled around Garon's feet.

"Soldiers! Attack formations!" Garon commanded as the men formed themselves into a square formation. Each of the soldiers grabbed a bow and began to pelt Grima with arrows.

"Insolent fools…" Grima spoke before bringing his front-most wings to his head in an attempt to shield himself. While he was doing this, a pair of figures descended from his back. The two figures that Caeldori recognized as Selena's father and Cordelia now began to charge an entire army.

"Why is your father fighting that army?" Caeldori asked as she watched the battle begin. She was absolutely in awe of the power of this dragon.

"That's my father after he got possessed by Grima. I don't know who that other figure is, though." Selena mildly laughed. Caeldori decided that the identity of the Cloaked Woman wasn't that important to Selena.

The shrouded pair locked gazes and nodded silently as they sprinted towards the battalion. They each ran into a different direction and began to unleash havoc on those poor soldiers.

Grima (his possessed form) gripped his lightning bolt-like sword tightly as waves of soldiers surrounded him. He raised his sword to the sky and smirked as thunder crashed into the soldiers before him. A soldier behind Grima attempted to strike the back of his cloak, but unfortunately, made so much noise that he was promptly melted by the destructive power of Valflame.

As the battle between the army and the pair of hooded figures raged on, Garon and Grima were still trading blows in the background. Garon swung his fist directly in Grima's horns, which shattered his horns and broke his face. Grima pulled his head back, then roared as he revealed a human-like face that was concealed under its reptilian facade.

The Cloaked Woman gazed toward the pile of corpses at the foot of her husband before turning her focus back to the approaching soldiers.

"Come 'ere girlie, we ain't gonna hurt ya. We promise…" A soldier spoke with a twisted smile as he approached her. Unluckily for him, the Cloaked Woman was more than willing to hurt -and potentially kill- him. She dove underneath his legs and thrusted the blunt side of her lance into his gut which knocked him to the floor. He moaned in pain before she drove her lance through his chest. The other soldiers backed up in fear.

"Send in the weapon!" Every soldier chanted. Garon's ears perked up and noticed that only a quarter of his army remained.

"This will not do at all!" He yelled, then raised his arm and summoned another portal.

A gigantic machine leaped out of the portal and before the hooded woman. It was made entirely of wood -including its wheels- and had several large cannons aimed directly at her.

"Get her!" Soldiers yelled as they stood atop the vehicle.

Caeldori watched from a relatively short distance as a large machine chased after the Cloaked Woman, who dodged and leaped over every cannonball that was fired at her as if it were child's play. It wasn't until the machine passed by Grima that she noticed his hood was drawn down to reveal his white hair, and he had a look that read only one emotion: pure, unstoppable rage.

In a flash, Grima jumped on top of the machine and began what could only be described as a massacre. He set the commanders aflame and kicked them off the vehicle before burning a hole in the roof and entering the interior.

Inside the vehicle, soldiers sat in their preordained positions as the wooden floor rumbled. A pillar of flame burst in from the ceiling and scorched the commander, and the soldiers watched in terror as a white-haired man smashed his feet onto the commander and brandished a sword. Everyone flew into a panic as he began indiscriminately slaughtering the cannon crew. Half of the bodies were burned, and the other half were still convulsing from electricity as the machine stopped dead in its tracks.

A single man remained inside the vehicle, and he was currently pressed up against a wall and begging for mercy.

"P-P-P-P-Please don't kill me…" He spoke as the white-haired man looked absolutely furious as he held the soldier against the wall.

"Don't…" Grima gritted his teeth while he drew his blade; lightning crackled within the sword. "Trifle…" The man stabbed his blade into the soldier's gut. "With…" The man was now stabbing the deceased soldier repeatedly. "My… bride!" He threw the corpse aside and burned a hole in the vehicle.

The Cloaked Woman stopped running and gazed toward the burning hole in the vehicle, and felt slightly relieved when her husband strode out. They approached each other and held hands as they walked away to the sidelines.

Grima (his dragon form), on the other hand, was now above Garon, who laid prone on the ground. He lowered its mouth towards Garon's neck until he bit down on his neck. Garon yelled in pain as he felt a sharp pair of fangs bite into his jugular, and flailed his arms in a desperate manner. He grabbed Grima by the neck and clenched his hands; Grima threw its head around while he was being strangled.

"If I die, you're coming with me!" Garon screamed as his grip tightened in response to Grima's jaw clenching.

Grima's long neck stopped flailing as he rested its head on Garon's chest. Garon's remaining eye was shut, and he made no movements. Grima closed its eyes and grew still as it laid atop the dead king.

Little did Garon know, it would take much more than strangulation to kill a divine dragon like Grima.

"Is… Is it over?" Caeldori gazed out at the two massive corpses. She noted that Garon still looked angry; even in death.

"I think it is." Selena's voice was calm, which was a large contrast to her voice before

Both of their gazes shifted to the large purple crystal above, which had cracks running along it. The gem shattered, and Kamui slowly descended towards Caeldori.

"Thank you for rescuing me." He spoke before rushing into Caeldori's arms. Selena smiled as her daughter embraced the prince, and failed to notice the sound of ominous chanting in the background.

Unbeknownst to the three heroes, Grima was still breathing. He knew that only by feigning death could he beat Garon. And once he beat Garon, he could finally kill Severa.

Caeldori heard the sound of massive wings flapping, and turned her head around to see the massive dragon floating in the air.

"Uh… Guys…" Her voice sank as the dragon reared its head back.

Selena had failed to realize that the strongest of fears can grow their own thoughts. Much like Kamui's fear of Garon, her fear of Grima was so deep that it obtained a mind of its own.

"Bring me their heads!" Grima roared, and two hooded figures emerged from behind the dragon.

Kamui's eyes nervously shifted around the area while Grima's six red eyes glossed over him, and onto Selena. The dragon unhinged his jaw and prepared to blast the trio with a fireball, but was stopped by a force field that protected them. Said force field was projected by a little girl with a red ponytail.

"Get away from my friends, you big meanie!" The little girl with the red ponytail stood before her friends and maintained the barrier.

"Caeldori?!" Everyone questioned in awe of the little girl.

Grima snorted his nose in frustration as he repeatedly tried to shatter the barrier. It was until he rammed his horns against the force did he realize he could send someone who wasn't made of darkness like himself.

A certain someone who was under his control thanks to a mask.

Selena watched in terror as the Cloaked Woman -who had been an absolute nightmare to deal with back in Ylisse- effortlessly stomped her way through the forcefield. She passed by the little girl as if she couldn't see her, and her advance continued until she lunged at Selena.

Selena struggled to push the Cloaked Woman back as she fell onto the grass, and felt her gut sink when the woman sat atop her. She brought her fists to Selena's head, and Selena desperately fought against her overwhelming strength.

Selena jerked her knee into the gut of the Cloaked Woman and reached for the cowl that covered her head. She wanted to know who she was dealing with, so she pushed the hood back and revealed the Cloaked Woman's identity.

Long strands of crimson hair spilled out of her hood, and she had a masked face that Selena never thought she would see.

Cordelia.

"Oh, gods…" Selena couldn't believe it. For all these years, she thought her mother had been killed, while in reality, she was alive and working for Grima. " _That's… Oh my…_ "

Cordelia continued to press her hands against Selena's, and Selena could tell that she was going to lose this fight. This was her mother, alive, and in the flesh, attempting to kill her. Her mother who she had mourned for years. The mother who she wanted to _scream at_ for going off to die; the mother who she wanted to hug, and who she wanted to tell her that everything was going to be alright.

Selena wasn't sure what to do, and she began to cry as she pressed her head into Cordelia's chest. "Mother… Please, stop this…"

Cordelia stopped her hands and jerked upright as Selena pressed her head into the fabric of her cloak.

Scholars say that those under the effects of hypnosis can obey orders, but they cannot go against their key morals. Cordelia's key morals happened to be the protection of her family.

Selena watched with tear-stricken eyes as Cordelia moved her hands to the mask that covered her visage, and removed it from her face. "Mother?" Selena asked, then continued to watch as Cordelia snapped the mask into two pieces as though it were paper.

"It's okay, Severa." Cordelia pressed her daughter to her chest. "Mother's here now." Finally, she had been reunited with one of her two favorite things in the world.

Cordelia turned her head to the figure outside the blue barrier and stood up. She tenderly patted Selena on the head then shot Grima a glare.

She was going to make Grima pay for ruining her family.

Grima watched in horror as Cordelia stomped out of the barrier and towards him.

"N-Now hold on a minute." Grima's voice cracked, which was something he had never done in his entire existence. "We can work this ou-"

Grima's plea for mercy was interrupted by Cordelia wrapping her fingers around his neck. She enjoyed the catharsis of strangling the dragon who had killed her husband and traumatized her daughters.

"Do you know what I'm going to do to you?" Cordelia growled in his ears as Grima struggled for air. "I am going to beat you within an inch of your miserable life until all you can feel is my fist punching your godforsaken skull into a _pulp_." Cordelia struck Grima directly in his jaw; blood spattered out of his quivering lips, and she struck again. She continued to strike until Grima's jaw was nothing more than a bloody mass of flesh and teeth.

Kamui and the others watched from afar and noticed that every time Cordelia punched Grima, his massive dragon form also reeled back in shock.

Grima laid on the floor as Cordelia placed her foot to his throat. Her blood was practically boiling. "This is for killing my husband and my friends." Cordelia grabbed Grima by his left arm and smashed her fist into his skull. Grima howled in pain. "This is for ruining my life." She lifted him into the air with only one hand and smashed him into the ground.

Grima wheezed for breath as Cordelia leaned over him with a vicious snarl. Caeldori looked down to the silver spear in her hands and walked to Cordelia.

"Here you go, miss." Caeldori was slightly afraid of this crazed woman as she handed her the spear.

"Thank you, dear." Cordelia nodded as she clutched the metallic spear in her hands. Her gaze turned back to Grima, who attempted to crawl away. "And this…

This is for trying to kill my daughters!" Cordelia let out a berserker-like scream as she plunged the tip of the spear through Grima's chest. Grima let out a shriek of agony as he felt his inside boil, then slumped over on the ground. Cordelia left the spear in his chest and noted that the massive dragon above her was also dead and lying on the ground.

Selena watched with bated breath as Cordelia turned around to face her.

"You guys should go back to the real world. I'll be there soon." Selena looked to Kamui and Caeldori, who began to walk away without saying a word.

Cordelia began to sprint toward her daughter and collapsed to her knees before her. Tears streaked her eyes.

"O-Oh… Severa…" Cordelia's mouth trembled as she hugged her daughter. "I thought I would never see you again." Cordelia never knew that her daughter escaped, and seeing her now made her heart beat faster and faster.

"I t-thought I wouldn't see you either…" Severa collapsed in the same manner as her mother while they embraced. Finally, her mother was alive and here. "Did I do alright?"

"Yes, Severa. You were absolutely _perfect_." Cordelia whispered into her ear.

The mother and her child embraced for what felt like an age until Cordelia stood up.

"No, don't go…" Severa begged with a quiet voice.

"I'm not going right now." Cordelia continued to tenderly hug her daughter. "I'll leave when you're ready, dear."

Severa continued to hold onto her mother like there was nothing else she could do. Only until she felt that she was ready did Severa speak.

"O-Okay." She began to wipe her eyes. Cordelia placed her warm finger on Severa's forehead.

"I'll always be right here, in your thoughts," Cordelia spoke in a soothing voice, then began to fade out. In her wake was Severa, who picked herself off the ground and stood upright.

Unlike when Severa ran through the forest back in Ylisse, she wasn't sad to see her mother go. Rather, she was happy.

She was happy that her mother was always going to be with her.

Cordelia found herself in the interior of a house that she had created a family in. She was certain that this was the core of Severa's mind, and that was reinforced when she noticed a man sitting at a table.

He had his cloaked back facing Cordelia, and he had hair white as snow. He was a man Cordelia loved with all her heart, and she walked up behind him.

"Hey, dear." Cordelia wrapped her arms around Robin's chest and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Next time you get possessed by an ancient dragon god, try and warn me, okay?"

Robin let out a hearty chuckle as he kissed Cordelia on the cheek.

"I'll try, sweetie." He joked as he wrapped his fingers around Cordelia's warm hand.

Kamui and Caeldori awoke in the infirmary to a chorus of cheers.

"Oh, thank the gods you're alright!" Subaki beamed with delight as he helped his groggy daughter out of the bed. He was overjoyed that his wishes were answered.

Kamui rose and began to think. Only one thought circulated his mind, and he simply had to know the answer to this question.

"Where's Hisame?" He asked.

Nobody had an answer to that, but Subaki had a question of his own.

"Why is Selena still sleeping?" He asked.

Caeldori looked over to the bed her mother was in, and sure enough, she was still blissfully asleep.

"Maybe she's dreaming about something…" Caeldori spoke in a hopeful voice.

Severa dreamed of a book that had a dusty cover to it as it rested on a table. She opened the heavy book and began to inspect the pages within. Each page contained no words, but only images.

Two friends, one with a purple cloak, and the other with long, red locks sat in the barracks of an army while exchanging coy glances at one another. A blue-haired man walked by, and the red-haired woman didn't even bother looking at him.

Two lovers stood at the altar while a crowd cheered. The man with white hair slid a ring onto his crimson-haired bride's finger. Her bright smile warmed his heart. They passionately kissed as a bell rang in the distance.

Two married companions sat in their house at a table. The man with white hair cupped the side of his wife's head before he stood up and walked by. Bright sunlight shone in from a nearby window while they smiled.

Two parents cradled their newborn daughter as a fireplace crackled nearby. They both beamed tenderly at their little bundle of joy.

A widow sat mournfully in a chair of her house while her two daughters played. A picture of a man with white hair rested above the fireplace. Her friend with brown hair sat in the other chair and attempted to soothe her.

A mother stood guard over her two favorite things in the world as they played together in a field of flowers. Her daughter with short, red hair stumbled and bruised her knee. The mother hurriedly walked over before helping her daughter get to her feet. She kissed the bruise on her daughter's knee and applied a salve to it.

A soldier stood in the doorway while wearing a full suit of white armor. Her teenage daughter with long, white hair screamed at her from inside the house, and the soldier shut the door before walking away.

A ruined house stood in the middle of a destroyed town. Inside the wreckage was a single picture. It depicted a father and a mother holding their two daughters, who they loved more than anything else in the world.

Two graves sat atop a hill overlooking a forest. One grave had the letter R engraved onto it, and the other had a letter C scrawled onto it. Both of the graves were hollow.

Two eternal companions rested in their house, and the outside of the house was depicted as an outline of a girl's head. Said girl had long, white hair.

Two tears rolled down Severa's cheek as she shut the cover of the book and noticed a single word was engraved onto its back.

'Family'.

* * *

That Garon Vs. Grima thing is one of my favorite moments in this story.


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Confusion

Confusion

Author's note: I **ABSOLUTELY** recommend listening to the song _Confusion_ from _Mother 3_ when you read the line "Thunder boomed in the distance…"

(When I say absolutely, I mean that song is, in my opinion, the most important one to listen to.)

* * *

Tears lined Hisame's face while he sprinted through the forest. For all he knew, he had just been the cause of Kamui's death, and he surely would be executed if he went back to the army.

Once he was sure he was safe, Hisame slowed his running to a brisk pace, and his tears began to slow. This was his life now; because of one stupid decision, he would never see Caeldori again, and his parents hated his guts. He would have to live on the outskirts of society, hunt animals for food, and make a shelter out of grass and dead trees.

He seated himself against the base of a tree while his feet ached, and a nagging voice bore into his thoughts.

" _Or… You could use that nearby cliff to your advantage…_ " Hisame's attention was brought to a clearing in the forest, which revealed sunlight shining onto a ledge.

Without thinking, Hisame got to his feet and began to trudge towards the cliff. His entire body was telling him to stop, but he kept going. He continued until he was standing on the edge; a cold breeze lashed at his face. Hisame turned his gaze to his shoes and stared at the ground below the cliff. It was quite a massive fall, and pointed rocks littered the area under the edge.

" _Do it… Jump…_ " The voice continued to pound in his ears. Hisame seated himself at the edge; his feet dangled in the air as he sighed.

" _Should I do it?_ " Was the only thought that he could muster. His hands trembled as he looked to the sky above, and every part of his body was telling him to not do it.

Hisame began to sob profusely as he gripped the rocky edge of the cliff. He laid back on the ground and continued to wail as he pulled his feet out of the canyon. He just wanted to see his daughter again. He just wanted to see his best friend again.

He just wanted to see his _wife_ again.

Hisame stood upright and grabbed a nearby rock. He grunted in anger before throwing it into the canyon and fumed silently while he folded his arms. " _Why did I have to be dealt such a horrible hand of cards? Why did I have to be yanked out that blissful trial?_ " He felt as though his rage was palpable while he scanned the surrounding area.

A field of red flowers swayed in the breeze to his left outside the forest. Normally, these plants would mean nothing to him. These were no ordinary flowers, though; these were Caeldori's favorite flowers.

He brought his knees to his chest as he sat in the field of flowers. The pleasing aroma from the pollens wafted into his nose and tickled his nostrils. Hisame shut his eyes as he laid down in the field.

"Hisame, are you alright?" A voice spoke, a voice that he recognized immediately the second it began speaking.

"C-Caeldori?" He asked while opening his eyes. Caeldori leaned over him with a tender smile. "What are you doing here?"

"That's not important," Caeldori said in a soft voice. She laid down beside him and held him in a warm embrace. "What's important is that we're together again."

"Daddy!" Shigeki yelled as she leaned over her father. Her red ponytails swayed in the breeze before she curled up next to her father. Hisame held his daughter tightly with his other hand.

"I missed you all so much…" He spoke in a shaky voice.

Two minutes passed as the group laid together in the field of flowers.

"We'll always be here for you, because that's what families do." Caeldori broke the silence. Hisame was on the verge of bawling his eyes out as Caeldori rested her head on his shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you, daddy!" Shigeki began to speak while she was wedged in between her mother and father.

"I love you too, sweetie…" Hisame's voice matched the trembling in his body as he spoke.

A familiar voice removed him from his trance-like state.

"Hisame, wake up!" Kamui called out; his voice echoed and reverberated around the area.

"Kamui?" Hisame stood up, much to the dismay of himself and his family. "Kamui, please don't wake me up…" Hisame clenched his fists in frustration. The ground around him shook while Shigeki and Caeldori disappeared. "I've finally reached peace, and you're taking it away from me!"

"Hisame, come on, wake up." Kamui leaned over his sleeping friend while the flowers around them swayed in the gentle breeze.

Hisame snapped upright as his eyes fluttered open. He turned his focus in every direction until his gaze focused on Kamui.

"K-Kamui?!" Hisame's eyes widened as he looked to his best friend. "But Ryoma killed you…"

"It'll take more than that to kill me." Kamui spoke, then held his hand out. Hisame took his hand, got to his feet, then wrapped his arms around Kamui.

"I'm sorry for trying to kill you." He mumbled into his shoulder.

"It's fine; you were just angry, and I don't blame you." Kamui spoke back as he held his friend.

"So why did you wake me up?" Hisame asked as he took a step back.

"Because you were crying in your sleep," Kamui spoke as he placed his hand gently on Hisame's shoulder. He expected Hisame to brush it off, but instead, he was still. "I thought you were having a nightmare or something."

"Why are you here, and how did you find me?" Hisame found it trivial to state that those were tears of joy rather than sadness.

"After I woke up, I set up a search party outside Izumo, because that's where your deeprealm was." Kamui gave him a reassuring smile. "Subaki and Caeldori are searching the town itself, and Hana and Hinata set up a camp where you can all discuss your problems. You left a trail of footprints, so I followed those and found you resting in this flower bed."

"Knowing my parents, they probably forgot that I exist." Hisame nodded his head and let out a sigh.

"Hisame, they know they messed up. They told me that they will do anything to fix their relationship with you, and I hope that you'll accept. " Kamui pointed to the setting sun behind Hisame. "What say we get you back to the camp?"

"Okay." Hisame nodded his head and stood up. "Lead the way."

Kamui walked into the forest; Hisame followed after him in silence. The pause of noise continued until Hisame heard a faint cry.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Hisame held up his hand, and the sound of their feet crunching the foliage stopped.

"Hear what?" Kamui asked while tilting his head.

The sound of an animal yelping broke the silence.

"I'll go check it out," Hisame stated before sprinting into the brush of the forest.

"Hisame, wait!" Kamui attempted to grab his shoulder and was practically behind him. He outstretched his arm while chasing after Hisame, but his foot got caught on a log that Hisame leaped over. Kamui stumbled to the ground and watched as Hisame sprinted away into the foliage. "Hisame, where are you?" Kamui called out as he desperately scanned the area, but he was unable to find his friend.

Hisame could not hear Kamui; all he could hear was the sound of that animal crying. He followed the sound until he entered a glade, and noticed a small brown creature sitting by itself underneath the sunlight. Upon closer inspection, it was a bear cub. Hisame slowly approached the cub and stopped his approach when the bear turned around the face him. It sat on its hind quarters and looked rather sad.

"Where's your mother?" Hisame asked. The bear didn't respond, and instead strode towards Hisame until it was directly before him. "You're lost, aren't you?" Hisame knelt down beside the bear. It sniffed his face before it began to lick his cheek in an adorable manner. "Don't worry, I'll stay with you until your mother comes." Hisame smiled before holding the small bear in an embrace. The warm feeling of its brown fur against his hands sent him into a trance.

He was in such a trance, that he didn't even react when a pair of large bear claws tore through his back.

Hana sat atop a fallen log as the campfire warmed her body. The moon above was in its last quarter and looked half-illuminated.

She couldn't care less about lunar phases; her real attention was on her son. Subaki had assured her that he would be found, and then she, Hinata, and Hisame could all sit-down and fix their broken relationship. She would finally get to be part of a family again, like before they forgot to visit Hisame.

"Subaki's here!" Sakura stood up and smiled as Hana and Hinata got to their feet.

Subaki emerged from the forest with a panicked look on his eyes. He had gone through every possible way to break the horrible news to Hana and Hinata, and every solution ended with them being emotionally crushed. Subaki had never had to deliver news of this caliber, so he figured he should try to soften the blow.

"Hinata, Hana…" His voice sounded incredibly upset as he shifted his focus to everywhere that wasn't the two people. "Just… Stay calm and listen to me… I've got…" Subaki's mouth was shifting around, and it looked as though he were attempting to mouth a sentence. "I've got news."

"What happened?" Hinata asked as he tilted his head. Her heart began to thump in her ears. Subaki had no idea how to phrase this, so he figured that maybe he could soften the blow with some positive news.

"I… Uh, Kamui found a nice bear pelt for you two, and it could make a nice... rug." Subaki rapidly shifted his focus to the space behind the family.

"Is Kamui alright?" Hinata interjected.

"Yes, Kamui's fine…" Subaki had to say it; he needed to. "But I've got bad news."

"What's the bad news?" Hana's eyes widened, and Subaki felt as though his heart were torn to shreds as he noticed her innocent, child-like state.

"The bear was mauling Hisame."

Thunder boomed in the sky; not only outside, but in Hana's thoughts as well.

"Oh, gods…" Hinata's voice had lost every sense of confidence as he dropped to his knees. "Why… Why us?" He moaned as he knees buckled underneath and he tumbled to the ground in a sobbing mess.

Subaki stared at the dirt with a somber look.

"Kamui slew the bear before it could do any more damage..." He attempted to sound confident as Hana stood before him. Her eyes were completely emotionless as her legs trembled.

She was completely in shock, and her mind was filled with denial.

Hana fell to her knees and began to pound the dirt with her clenched hand.

Hinata had, on occasion, gone hunting with Takumi as a friend. There was always one part of the hunt that he was fascinated by, and it was when the hunted animal knew that it was cornered. No matter what species it was, the animal would howl violently before going into a panicked frenzy.

Hana just let out that scream that Hinata had heard from countless animals, but he never expected his wife to make that noise.

"Hana… I'm so s-sorry…" Sakura placed her hand slowly on Hana's shoulder. Rain began to pour onto the top of their heads while Hana jerked her shoulder back. Sakura was knocked onto her back and began to cry as her childhood friend flew into a blind rage.

Hana continued to furiously pound the ground with her fist. Subaki shuffled backward a few steps.

All Hana could feel, was anger. Anger at the world for tearing her child away from her. Anger at all the things that went wrong with her relationship with her son.

Anger at herself for letting this happen.

Tears began to streak her face as her poundings slowed.

"Hisame, I'm-m-m so s-s-sorry…" Her lower lip trembled. "I sh-h-hould have b-b-been there for you…"

"Hana… Everything's going to be fine..." Subaki stated as he continued to watch from afar; he looked rather somber as well. Hana stopped punching the ground and slowly dragged her head up to face Subaki. Her hands shook violently.

Pure, unfathomable rage was in her eyes as she leaped onto Subaki and wrapped her hands around his neck. Everything was _not_ going to be alright. How could he understand? He had a perfect daughter, and a perfect life. Everything about him was so _insufferably_ perfect. So perfect, that Hana was certain he didn't care one bit about her son.

"Hana, please!" Sakura cried out; tears streaked her eyes. Death was a horrible thing, and seeing her retainer and best friend like this made Sakura feel absolutely awful. She ran over to Hana and meekly grabbed her arms.

Hana responded by slamming her elbows into Sakura's gut and knocking her backward. She held the sobbing princess against the ground as her breathing accelerated. Sakura shut her eyes as she felt the coldness of her friend's breath waft over her. "Please… don't... h-hurt me…"

The only emotion that was in Sakura's voice was fear. Hana ignored it and stepped off of her.

She turned her gaze back to Subaki, who was crawling away as he wheezed for breath. She grabbed him by his ankles and dragged him through the dirt.

"P-Please… Hana, don't do this…" His left eye was shut and bruised as he laid atop his back. Hana got to her knees and leaned over him, then pulled her fist back.

"Hana, stop!" Hinata grabbed his wife by the shoulders and attempted to stop her rampage. She responded by jerking her clenched fist back and smashing it into the front of her husband's head.

Hinata sat on his knees as Hana loomed over her; her eyes were completely blank while she pulled her hand back. "Please… stop…" Hinata coughed red fluid onto the ground as a terrified look grew on his face.

Before Hana could beat her husband senseless, a voice called out.

"Everybody, stop!" Kamui screamed out as he and Caeldori emerged from the forest. They were both carrying a bloody pile of rags.

Reflection flashed in Hana's eyes as she lowered her hand. She fell to her knees and hung her head above her husband. She wrapped her arms around Hinata in an embrace.

"I'm… so sorry…" Her voice sounded as though it were falling apart at the seams. Tears streaked their faces as they held each other.

Kamui gently lowered the pile of rags onto the ground, and the two parents rushed over. Upon closer inspection, that pile of bloodied cloth was actually Hisame. His face had massive claw marks running across it, and he was making a wheezing noise with his mouth.

Hana scrambled next to him and got to her knees. "Oh, Hisame…" She lifted his head up and cradled him like a newborn. Hinata knelt next to his son and was wailing in anguish. "I-I should've b-been there for you…"

"M-Mother… am I going to die?" Hisame croaked as he used every ounce of strength he had to focus on her radiant smile.

"No, y-you won't die." Tears began to run down Hana's face as she pressed her son to her chest. "Yo-ou're not g-g-gonna die on m-me…"

Sakura stood next to them and raised her staff toward the sky. A bright light enveloped Hisame, but his wounds did not disappear. Sakura tried again, and let out a cry when the second try failed.

"He's t-t-too far gone for healing…" Sakura's voice was even quieter than usual.

Hana looked at her friend, then back to her son when something emerged in her thoughts. Maybe, she could sing _that_ song. Maybe she could heal his wounds, and try _something_ , _anything_ to save her son.

"Dear sweet child oh pl~ease." Hana began to sing the very same song that she had sung when she gave birth to Hisame. "Dear sweet child oh please, dry your eyes, please, love, dry your eyes, for, me, dear." Hana's voice sounded frail and on the verge of breaking into tears. "Dry your eyes so we can all see your beau~ti~ful smi~le."

Hisame's breathing began to slow as his eyes focused on Hana.

"Please dear dry your eyes so we, can, all see." Hana's voice croaked out the last words. "Your beau~ti~ful smile that bright~ens up, my, day."

Kamui and Caeldori leaned over their dying friend while tears streaked their eyes. Hisame looked up at them, and gave them one last _beautiful_ smile.

"Kamui… Caeldori… Thank you… for being great friends…"

Hisame gave his final breath, and slowly shut his eyelids. Kamui fell to his knees before Hisame and buried his head into the dirt.

Hana sniffled her nose and remembered Hisame's smell: he smelt like a beautiful field of flowers. She buried her face into his chest along with Hinata, who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

Caeldori wept as she stood above this disaster. Even Subaki joined in and began to sniffle.

Hisame rose out of his body and got to his feet. He looked at his hands and noticed that they were translucent and pale. His entire body was pale, and it looked as though everyone couldn't notice him.

His focus turned to his mother, who was burying her face into his chest. Hisame knelt down before his mother and wrapped his pale arms around her body. "I forgive you." He whispered.

A ghostly image of Caeldori appeared before Hisame as he stood up. He noted that she looked much older than the Caeldori that was currently crying over his deceased body.

"Hisame… Come here..." She spoke with a bright smile; the same smile that he had known for twenty years.

Without saying a word, Hisame shambled into his wife's embrace.

They both walked off into the distance and toward the shining light in the forest.

"You must be so tired…" Caeldori spoke as she kissed Hisame on his cheek. Inside the bright light was a certain building that Hisame instinctively recognized.

It was the house he had raised a family in.

* * *

Credit to Rubiarts (can't post the link) for the cover image.


	17. Chapter Seventeen: It's Over

It's Over

Author's note: I **ABSOLUTELY** recommend listening to the song _It's Over_ from _Mother 3_ while you read this entire chapter.

* * *

Everyone had assembled around the grave site as Hana began to recite a speech. A warm breeze wafted by as the sun hung in the sky above and Hana's statement had just gotten to a close when the ground began to quake.

Kamui sat on a wooden chair, and his attention was drawn to the hand bursting from the ground where Hisame was buried. An arm was revealed as it pointed to the sky, and another hand emerged from the dirt. The two hands pulled themselves out of the grave, and a figure revealed itself as a divine light shone around it.

"Friends, I'm alive!" Hisame yelled triumphantly as he rose from the grave. He wiped the dirt off his face and clothing while everyone ran to his side. Hana collapsed into his arms in a sobbing mess while Hinata joined their embrace.

"I thought you were dead!" Caeldori spoke in an excited tone.

"It was the strangest thing! I thought I was dead, but then I saw the gods themselves! They breathed new life into me, and gave me the ability to wake up!" Hisame smiled as he comforted his mother and father. "But enough about that. Let's celebrate!" He stated as he walked towards the main castle; everyone followed him like a flock of birds.

A massive feast was had in Kamui's castle to commemorate Hisame's return to the living world. Large amounts of food lining the tables and red banners adorned the halls. A band had gathered atop the balcony that overlooked the main hall, which played soothing music as a dance began. Hisame held his mother's hand as they twirled around.

"I'm so happy..." Hana spoke in a shaky voice into her son's chest.

"We can finally be a family," Hisame stated as he noticed Kamui, who was watching from the sidelines. Caeldori stood beside him and was wearing an elegant red dress with a white trim. She bounced up and down with ecstatic energy as Hisame walked over to her. "Care to dance?" He asked while he held his hand out.

"Absolutely." Caeldori sounded like today was the happiest day of her life. She took his hand in her own and followed him into the brightly-lit center of the room.

The two began to slowly dance as they held each other's hand. Kamui continued to smile as he gazed from the outside. He couldn't care less that his girlfriend was dancing with someone else.

All he could focus on was that Hisame was happy.

Caeldori beamed with delight as Hisame twirled her around. The frills at the end of her dress swayed with her movements. Hisame looked extraordinarily overjoyed as he pressed Caeldori to his chest. He felt a twinge of nostalgia, as the song the band was playing was the same one that he danced with her during their twentieth anniversary.

"I'm so glad that you're back…" Caeldori's voice was muffled through his chest.

"I'm so glad that I get to see you again," Hisame stated as he held Caeldori in an embrace.

Two figures sat by themselves in a field of red flowers as the setting sun illuminated the surroundings. One of the figures, Kamui, draped his hand over the other person's shoulders.

"Words cannot describe how happy I am that you're back." He stated in a heartfelt manner as Hisame smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Kamui," Hisame spoke in a tender voice.

A minute of silent understanding passed before Hisame stood up. "You should probably get going soon."

"What do you mean?" Kamui continued to sit down in the field.

"You have to wake up." Hisame's beautiful smile didn't waver as a gentle air drifted by.

"Hisame, don't say that. This is all real." Kamui began to look more and more concerned with every passing second.

"Please, just wake up." Hisame began to slowly rise into the air, and he floated towards the nearby cliff.

Kamui scrambled to his feet and walked after Hisame.

"Hey, get back here!" Kamui pushed the flowers aside as his pace quickened in response to Hisame's. "Hisame, please, wait for me!"

Hisame was now floating in the air past the edge of the cliff. Kamui stood before him. A desperate look was in his eyes.

"Kamui, you need to wake up," Hisame stated with a little more seriousness in his voice as his clothing wavered in the wind.

"This can't be a dream," Kamui stated in a slightly defiant manner. He walked a few steps backward. "I just wanted you to be happy…"

"You need to wake up and be with Caeldori," Hisame said. Kamui was now a good distance from the edge of the cliff.

"No! This is all real!" Kamui fought the urge to burst into tears as he screamed. He began to sprint toward the cliff and leaped into the air towards Hisame. His knees felt as though they were stone.

"Be a good husband to Caeldori. Please, do it for me." Hisame smiled while Kamui outstretched his arm as he rose through the air. Hisame was just within his reach, but Kami began to descend like a rock before he could grab Hisame.

As Kamui fell towards the bottom of the canyon, Hisame began to speak to him. "Don't worry about me. I'm going to where my wife is."

Kamui brought his knees to his chest as he fell towards the stone floor of the canyon. Tears streaked his eyes, and another voice called to him.

"Kamui, wake up," Caeldori spoke in a soft voice.

Kamui's eyes fluttered open to reveal Caeldori leaning over him as he rested in his bed. He groaned as he sat upright, and Caeldori pulled her head back. "The funeral's going to start soon," Caeldori spoke as she tossed Kamui his black robes from the closet.

Rain poured onto all of the people inside the forest of Izumo. Every attendant to the service sat in a wooden chair, save for one with red hair that stood behind a podium. A wooden coffin was behind him.

"Today, we are gathered here today to mourn the tragic loss of our dear friend, Hisame." Subaki turned his gaze to Hana and Hinata, who sat in the front row of chairs. They both hung their heads low as they wore all black, and they held each other's hand tightly.

A cold breeze drifted by Subaki while he continued. "Hisame was an acquired taste of mine. At first, I disliked his bad attitude and affection toward my daughter." Subaki glanced at Caeldori, who sat next to Kamui and Selena. "But as time passed, I grew to respect him. When Caeldori was trapped in Fort Lansdale, Hisame offered to rescue her without a second thought. When Kamui broke his back, Hisame made sure that he was well."

Subaki's expression looked incredibly sad, and his tone reflected that. "Hisame cared deeply about his friends, and that is why I respect him." Subaki stepped back from the podium and locked eyes with Kamui. He nodded, and Kamui stood up. Kamui trudged his way to the podium and tightly grabbed both ends of the wooden board while he spoke.

"Hisame…had a hard life, and not a minute goes past after his death that I think about him." He gazed out across the field of solemn attendees and continued to speak. "Even though he had some problems with rejection, I can't blame him for attacking me." Kamui paused and gazed behind to the coffin. Every ounce of his being hoped that a hand would burst from the wooden container and Hisame would step out, perfectly fine and alive. "He was just… angry…"

Kamui began to weep as he waited for Hisame to emerge. "Just… give me a minute…" He quickly glanced back at the crowd before focusing back on the coffin. A minute passed as his sobbing increased, and his friend still did not rise from the grave.

"Kamui… It's okay…" Hana broke the silence as she looked up at him.

"I'll be…" Kamui took a deep breath and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe. "I'll be fine." He felt slightly more confident than before. "He was just angry. Angry at the world for tearing his family away from him. And that is why, today, I'd like to make a statement, while you're all gathered here."

Kamui's grip on the podium tightened as he leaned forward "Please, _never_ use deeprealms to raise your children. Think of the pain, neglect, and anger that they cause." Kamui's voice croaked. "As someone who grew up in a secluded palace, and seeing as I never saw my maternal parents for a great deal of time, I sympathize with Hisame on this. He would wish that no child would have to go through what he experienced." He struggled to get the last few words out. "Please, wait until we win this war to have children."

The entire crowd let out a cheer.

"And raise them with love," Kamui stated before stepping down from the podium and walking back into the crowd.

The dusty air of the temple sent a nostalgic rush through Kamui's thoughts as he entered the torch-lit chamber. The very instant his foot touched the center of the carpeted floor, he felt a familiar voice call to him.

"Kamui… I know why you are here." The Temple God spoke. "The death of Hisame was a tragic event, and I am sorry for your loss."

"Bring him back." Kamui's tone had lost all of its warmth. "Just bring him back."

"I am deeply sorry, but I cannot bring him back." The voice spoke again. "My powers cannot undo what has been done."

"You're lying." Kamui snarled, then in the blink of an eye, he jerked his fist into a nearby wall. "You're lying!"

"Kamui, please…" Rather than sounding angry that his sanctum was being defiled, the Temple God simply sounded rather quiet.

"You can bring him back, but you won't!" Kamui swung his foot into the wall and felt a sharp jolt of pain shoot through him.

He was numb to his own pain, however. All he could think about was the pain that Hisame endured.

"Hisame would not want this." The voice sounded rather soothing while Kamui's punches and kicks slowed. "He would want you to be happy."

Kamui let out a quiet whimper as he fell to the ground and curled into a ball.

"I just want him to be happy, is all…"

"If it's any consolation," The Temple God spoke. "I can sense Hisame even now, while he resides in the afterlife." Kamui's ears perked up.

"How… How is he?" Kamui asked.

"I sense that he is happy."

* * *

...


	18. Epilogue: After Fates

Epilogue

After _Fates_

* * *

Cold wind lashed at Caeldori's face while she stood before her parents. They both wore brown cloaks that concealed their heads. All around Caeldori were trees that seemed to stretch into the night sky and block out the serene light of the moon.

"Caeldori, are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Subaki asked while he felt rain begin to cascade the top of his head.

"Yes, father. Valla needs its queen, after all." Caeldori smiled as she watched two more pairs of cloaked figures emerge from the trees.

"We're ready." The distinctive voice of Laslow called out from the four figures.

"Alright, Caeldori." Selena smiled at her daughter then looked to Laslow and Odin. Seeing as Anankos had been killed and Kamui had ascended to the throne of Valla, Selena figured that her mission was complete, and she could finally go home.

Odin stepped out while he held the hand of his wife, Orochi. In his other hand was a tiny crystal orb that contained a swirling mass of light inside of its black frame.

"Are we all ready?" Odin asked while he looked around. Azura nodded her head in unison with Laslow, and Subaki nodded as well.

"Yes," Selena spoke as her focus remained on her daughter. She knew that Caeldori was happy at Kamui's side, but she still wished that she would come with her back to Ylisse.

Odin raised his hand to the stormy sky above and began to think of Ylisse. Not the Ylisse that had been destroyed thanks to Grima, but the Ylisse that he had saved with the help of his parents. Odin hurled the sphere into the soggy dirt and stepped back.

The circle exploded in a flash of light, then in its wake floated a hole in the air itself. Inside the hole was the unmistakable heraldry of Ylisse. Laslow led his wife into the hole and followed after her. Odin stepped in with Orochi close behind.

Selena stepped away from the hole to her daughter's side. She bent down and hugged Caeldori. "I love you."

"I love you too, mother." Caeldori smiled while she felt her mother's warm embrace. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Subaki approaching them. He wrapped his arms around his wife and child.

"I… I'll miss you, Caeldori." Subaki's eyes began to water as he hugged his daughter. Selena kissed Caeldori on the forehead, then led Subaki into the portal. She stepped inside and felt her body go numb as she shut her eyes.

She was finally _going home_.

Robin stood before a counter inside the living room of his house. His hands were sopping wet while he cleaned the dirt out of the turnips Cordelia had picked earlier that morning. Each turnip was now floating inside a copper basin embedded within the stone counter, and he was tasked with having to clean them.

While he was running his hands through the water inside the basin, he was unable to notice the predator approaching him from behind. Said predator arched her heels so she could silently launch her attack.

She was now directly behind him and grinning from ear-to-ear while he hummed to himself. She pulled her arms back, waited for a minute, then stuck her arms into the space between his body and his arms.

"Got you!" Cordelia laughed as she wrapped her hands around Robin's chest.

"Holy-" Robin jumped upright and felt his heart skip a beat as Cordelia's hands tightened their grip. He felt his heartbeat pound outside of his chest

Cordelia smiled while she rested her head on Robin's warm shoulder, and she could feel his breathing rate decelerate into a normal speed. Cordelia and Robin had a sort of 'Tactical War' in terms of who could get the upper hand on who. Ever since Robin had snuck vegetables into her dessert three days ago, she had been planning her revenge.

The two of them embraced for a while until the sound of Severa crying woke them out of their trance. "I'll handle it." Robin hurriedly dried his hands and rushed to Severa's room.

Not even five seconds passed after Robin left before a grating knocking sound echoed through the front door.

"Coming!" Cordelia spoke while she rushed to the door.

Severa and Subaki, who were both freezing thanks to the cold night weather, were greeted by the door swinging open to reveal Cordelia.

"Can I help yo-" Cordelia's eyes drifted up until she saw a rather familiar face. "Severa?" Her daughter looked slightly older, but she still had her two distinct trails of white hair.

"Hi, mom!" Severa ran inside and into her mother's arms. Cordelia was knocked backward by the open arms of her daughter's embrace. "I missed you and dad so much!"

"But you've only been gone for two months…" Cordelia looked very perplexed while a cloaked figure walked into her house. "And you are?" She locked eyes with the hooded individual, who pulled their brown cloak back to reveal a red ponytail.

"That's your son-in-law, Subaki!" Severa smiled as she pressed her head against her mother's chest. "Wait, I thought I was gone for nine years." She had always assumed that Ylisse and the world she had been in for almost a century operated on the same axis of time.

"Wherever you were must have had a faster speed of time than here in Ylisse." Cordelia stood up and looked right at Severa's supposed husband. "Well, I never guessed Severa would settle down."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Delia." Subaki outstretched his hand in front of Cordelia. She responded by slowly shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you as well." Cordelia was still processing all of this new information while Robin entered the living room.

"Severa?!"

"Daddy!"

"Olivia, can you get the door?" Chrom asked as a loud knocking noise resounded through the room. He always liked the interior design of his private quarters, even though it consisted of nothing but golden walls and a queen-sized bed adorned with blue drapes that he sat on.

"Who would be knocking, anyway?" Olivia stood before a mirror and moved a hairbrush through her long strands of pink, wavy locks. "I thought the guards at the front gate stopped anyone who wasn't royalty."

Something began to stir in Chrom's thoughts while he stood up. Something that for two months he wished would happen.

"You don't think it's…" He looked to his wife, and the expression of hope on her face indicated she was thinking the same thing.

They both rushed to the front door of their quarters and hurriedly swung the wooden door open. In the open doorframe stood their loving son and daughter. "Inigo! You're back! And you brought Lucina with you!" Chrom and Olivia spoke simultaneously while they smiled.

Inigo took one look at himself, then looked directly at Azura. He had to admit, she did look slightly similar to his sister.

"Actually, this is my wife, Azura." Inigo held his wife's hand out in front of his parents then hugged both of them. "It's good to see you too."

"Hi, Azura!" Olivia spoke as her focus turned to her supposed daughter-in-law, who looked rather uncomfortable. Then Olivia's gaze turned to Chrom, who she realized was shirtless. "Oh. Right."

Lissa wiped the sleep dust out of her eyes while she opened the front door to her house.

" _I swear to the gods if it's that darn furniture salesman again…_ " For the last week or so, that annoying salesman had been pestering her and Vaike over whether they needed to buy an armchair, and it had gotten to the point where Lissa had to threaten to call the royal guard on him after the 7th sales pitch.

Regardless, she scanned the moonlit space outside her house until she determined that there were two cloaked figures standing before her. One of the figures stepped forward and pulled their hood down to reveal their short, blond hair.

"Hi, mom," Owain spoke in a rather meek voice while Lissa squealed.

"Oh, gods you came back!" Lissa beamed with delight while she hugged her son's chest. "Vaike! Owain came back!" She turned her head back to the interior of her abode and yelled.

"Wait, really?" The sound of Owain's father resounded from the bedroom. "I'll be right there!"

The sound of feet mashing against a carpet ensued until Vaike scrambled next to Lissa's side. "Owain! It's so good to see you again!" Vaike barreled through Lissa as he ran into his son and wrapped his arms around him. "Man, your arms are muscular! Have you been using my training exercises?"

"Yes, actually." Owain smiled as he hugged his father back. "Anyway, I'd like you to meet my wife, Orochi." Owain motioned his hand towards the other cloaked figure, who pulled her hood down to reveal her purple hair.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Orochi smiled as she shook the hands of Lissa and Vaike, who had a rather stunned look on their faces.

"You got married?!"

A lone grave sat in the forests of Izumo amidst the large swaths of trees. In front of the grave stood a man and a woman with bouquets of red flowers in their hand.

The man with gray hair laid his collection of flowers at the base of the grave, and the woman with long, red hair placed her flowers next to his.

The pair walked away with tears in their eyes and their hands held. The grave had several pieces of writing on it.

'Hisame. A man who fought for his family, and cared about his friends. His sacrifice ensured that no child in the army that liberated Valla had to suffer the neglect of deeprealms. Loved dearly by his friends, Kamui and Caeldori.'

A lone house sat atop a hill. It was a house that had been constructed by a man who loved his wife, and that man was currently sitting on the front porch.

His caring wife who was the light of his life stepped out of the doorway to their house, and a silver platter was held between her hands.

"Hisame, I made us some steak sandwiches." Caeldori smiled at her husband while she sat down at his side. She set the plate on her lap and handed Hisame his meal.

"Thank you, dear," Hisame spoke as he nuzzled his head into Caeldori's warm shoulder. Caeldori looked at her companion and noticed that he was smiling.

She was very fond of his smile, as it was _exceptionally_ beautiful.

* * *

Well, overall, I'd say this was very fun to write, and I'd say this story did it's job of adding emotions to the formula I made for myself back in _Make Her Fall For You in a College Semester_. My next project is a little shorter than this story, but I'm really liking how the rough outline is working out.

I'd like to thank anyone who read this story to the end.


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